What Kind of ROI Can You Expect from Shoreline Work?
Customers always ask: “Do you think we’ll get our money back from this investment in our shoreline – if and when we decide to sell someday?”
That’s a great question. It’s common knowledge that most “landscaping” projects are a waste of money long-term.
But lakefront properties are different. We’re not talking about mulch and sod and bricks. We’re talking about value, first impressions, the emotional parts of buyers’ brains, and protecting and enhancing the very reason your property is worth tens times that of your neighbor’s patch of dirt: your shoreline.
Perception is everything when it comes to home value.
As a lake-home owner, you probably already know your backyard is as central to your property as most people’s front yards are to theirs. It is the first thing you notice. It’s what everyone else notices, remembers, and probably envies.
Your shoreline says more about your “status” and your property’s value than perhaps it should.
You could practically let the rest of the property rot and still not have any problem selling it someday. Missing door? Meh. Mustard-yellow shutters? Nothing a little paint can’t fix. You remember the feeling from the days when you bought this property: You were focused on that lake, the lake view, and the lakeshore itself.
The first thing those buyers do is run to the window overlooking the water. They are trying to imagine what they’ll see, hear, and feel when they own their own piece of the lake. If what they picture isn’t just a little bit magical then their brains win the debate between their heart and their emotions. They start thinking money and numbers, if they’re even interested at all.
If buyers see a weedy, eroded shoreline they will either walk away or take you to the mat. They will negotiate your property price down for all they are worth because the lakeshore is what they care about most. That’s not the direction you want them to go in. You want your future prospective buyers to fall madly in love with your shoreline and to shrug off everything else. Your asking price will hold up better, and they’ll ask you to make fewer repairs. If your shoreline finds a place in their hearts, more money finds its way into your pocket if and when you sell.
That is the ROI of shoreline work. Restoring and enhancing it is an investment that will almost certainly help your property sell for more, and more quickly. That’s why so many of our customers were referred to us by their realtors.
You should also consider your experience when it comes to this property.
How have you enjoyed that eroding shoreline? Do you prefer weed-whacking to sunbathing?
Investing in your shoreline means investing in the lakefront lifestyle you were trying to buy when you purchased your property in the first place. It means having a place to settle in with a good book and a beer. It means taking that swim or taking the kids tubing. It means getting your own little piece of the magic.
It’s not your fault the previous owner didn’t put enough TLC into the shoreline. It’s not your fault you didn’t know about the benefits of riprap and other improvements when you were the one racing to that window overlooking the lake. But now you know, and you know that a great shoreline is the key to getting the lifestyle you’ve always wanted.
You’re already paying property taxes on the magic. If you don’t protect and maintain your shoreline, all that will remain is the cost. Might as well get your money’s worth.
You are not spending. You are investing.
If you invest in your shoreline, you’ll probably sell your home at a higher profit that you would have without shoreline restoration.
You bought a lakefront property with an unfinished shoreline. If you sell, what you sell will include an erosion-resistant, sharp-looking riprapped shoreline. You’ll also profit from any extras you added, like stairs, sand beaches, patios, etc.
All of that adds magic to your property – more than it had when you bought it. Magic is profitable.
Convenience is also worth money. Would-be buyers will know they can enjoy the property right away, because you made enhancements that they won’t have to.
The shoreline you’ve always wanted is essentially free. You can tack onto your asking price at least another $20,000 – or whatever the tally was up-front. Your home will sell faster, and you’ll probably turn a nice little profit.
There’s a reason why we do so many jobs on properties that are about to go on the market. But it’s a shame that many lakefront property owners don’t think to update their shorelines until realtors tell them to do it. They didn’t fully enjoy their piece of the lake could until they were on the way out.
There is one caveat:
You only get solid ROI on your riprapped and updated shoreline if you get it done right.
Otherwise, you’ll spend thousands of dollars and all your hard work may erode away by the time you’re ready to sell. At that point, you will lose money because either the “wow” factor will have fizzled out, or you’ll have to get the job done all over again (and properly, this time).
You want to know your shoreline will hold up like a Swiss watch. That’s the only way you can enjoy it while you’re there, and get your investment back whenever you may sell. You want craftsmen who will use the best fabric, use lots of riprap, and work 12-hour days to hand-placing the stones riprap and get every detail perfect.
You can read more about our painstakingly perfectionistic process, or you can contact Lakeshore Guys® today!