landscape features that grow you home’s value can also grow your safety
April 2026. Each year about this time, we review the latest data on what landscape features produce the greatest return on investment. The Appraisal Institute, National Association of Realtors, and Zonda each have great resources. This year, the Greater LA Association of Realtors asked us to share our perspective – with a timely twist.
How can homeowners create landscapes that address fire safety
Greater LA Association of Realtors
and create home value-enhancing curb appeal?
We thought we knew the answer. Even we were surprised by how much crossover exists between the actions and features that deliver higher home values and those that enhance wildfire safety. The same is true when we look at the National Association of Realtor’s return-in-joy scores. Let’s investigate!
Each of the features highlighted in the graph above can help mitigate home-ignition risk, aid safe evacuation, and create safe space for firefighters to defend a home. Those with asterisks correlate closely to the actions recommended to increase fire safety. For example:
Maintenance: 104-256% Cost Recovery, 9.6 Joy
CAL FIRE moved beyond recommending specific plants, as no plant is fire proof. Instead, they recommend consistent maintenance, an action that delivers one of the highest returns in home value of any home improvement.
Pro Tip: Increase fire safety by keeping trash bins, tools, toys, furnishings, firewood, gasoline, paint cans, storage units, propane tanks, BBQs, fertilizers, mulches, and other flammable materials more than 5-feet from the home. Ideally, these items should be stored in an ember resistant structure, never under a deck, when not in active use.
New Patios and Walks: 95-100% Cost Recovery, 9.9 Joy
The joy scores for new, well-lit patios and walks correlate closely with the delight we see in clients who add these features. They can play an important role in fire safety, providing safe pathways for evacuation, and spots where embers lose ignition power. These features also give firefighters a safe spot to stand and fight when a home is threatened.
Pro Tip: Safety impacts and broader ROI are particularly profound in the 5-feet closest to a structure. A mix of path and patio around a structure protects siding and roofs from pest as well as ember intrusions. They also ease home maintenance and home hardening measures.
Happy Trees: 87% Cost Recovery, 9.3 Joy
Turns out dad was wrong – it is possible to Grow Money on Trees! The right tree in the right place can add as much as 15% to home value, reduce home heating and cooling costs by up to 50%, and block embers en route to your home too. Now that’s impact!
Planting more trees is great, yet just caring for what you have delivers gains. Ensuring trees are healthy extends their lifespan and reduces their risk of catching fire. Care is essential close to homes – trees need to be limbed up away from chimneys, roofs, and siding.
Pro Tip: Certified arborists are worth their weight in gold. Be sure to make trims outside of nesting season and make sure you know your local tree protection ordinances to avoid fines and fees.
