3 Trends and Must-Haves for Enhanced Outdoor Living

Homebuyers love outdoor living spaces, that’s nothing new. Whether it’s a deck for an indoor party to flow outside, a small patio to sit and unwind after a long day, or a front porch to people watch and wave at passersby—outdoor spaces are extensions of indoor living. If you’re looking to enhance your flip with an outdoor living space, keep these three trends front of mind—according to home design experts at the National Association of Realtors (NAR).

Larger Outdoor Living Spaces

Design experts at NAR report that a significant number of new home floor plans are now dedicating more square footage to the rear of homes in the way of uncovered decks, pergola-covered decks, sun decks, screened-in porches, grilling porches, and—of course—outdoor kitchens.

Customized Fire Pits

Summer is truly the season for fun in the sun, but when temperatures start to drop and leaves begin to change, homeowners still want to be able to enjoy the outdoors. Thanks to fire pits, they do. But today’s designs make fire pits one element of a larger outdoor living room.

Depending on how much backyard space you have, fire pits can be customized with encircling wood or stone benches, or flanked by bench walls. If you’re flip has a smaller backyard, you can suggest that potential buyers consider using a heat lamp on chilly nights.

Power of the Pergola   

A backyard pergola isn’t a new concept, but this landscape feature is becoming increasingly popular. These four-post structures allow you to create an outdoor living space just about anywhere in your landscape, whether near a pool or as a focal point in another location of your choosing. Typical pergola dimensions include 10 feet by 12 feet, 12 feet by 14 feet, and 14 feet by 16 feet.