Landscaping Trends That Are Boosting Home Values in West Michigan Right Now

If you've been driving through Muskegon or the surrounding West Michigan communities lately, you've probably noticed something: yards are looking different. More intentional. More layered. And a lot more interesting than the flat grass-and-mulch setups of a decade ago.

That's not just an aesthetic shift. It's a value shift.

As a Realtor with Five Star Real Estate serving buyers and sellers throughout West Michigan, I see firsthand how landscaping — done right — moves the needle on home values and buyer appeal. Today I'm breaking down the four hottest landscaping trends in our region right now, why they matter to your home's value, and how you can implement them even on a modest budget.

Why Landscaping Is a Real Estate Conversation, Not Just a Garden Conversation

Before we dig into trends, let's establish the stakes. According to the National Association of Realtors, a well-landscaped home can command 5% to 12% more at sale than a comparable home with minimal or neglected outdoor space. In a market like Muskegon — where median home prices have been rising steadily — that can mean an additional $15,000 to $35,000 on your final sale price.

Buyers in West Michigan increasingly want homes that feel move-in ready and lifestyle-complete. A backyard that already functions as a living space, or a front yard that communicates care and intentionality, sends a powerful message before they ever step through the front door.

Now here's what's working right now, specifically in our market.

Trend #1: Pollinator Gardens — Beauty That Does Double Duty

Pollinator gardens — plantings specifically designed to support bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects — have gone from niche eco-project to mainstream curb appeal upgrade. And they're absolutely thriving in West Michigan.

Why is this trend gaining momentum here? A few reasons. Our Great Lakes regional climate is ideal for a wide variety of flowering plants that pollinators love. Local buyers, particularly the millennial and Gen X demographic that dominates our market, increasingly prioritize sustainability and environmental connection in their home purchases. And frankly, a well-designed pollinator garden is simply stunning.

Think sweeps of purple coneflower (echinacea), black-eyed Susans, bee balm, and lavender. Add in some ornamental grasses for texture and movement, and you have a front yard that photographs beautifully for listings and impresses buyers at first sight.

💡 Value Tip: Pollinator gardens, once established, require significantly less water and maintenance than traditional turf lawns. That's a selling point savvy buyers notice immediately — especially as water rates in Michigan municipalities continue to rise.

For sellers: Even a modest 4x8 foot pollinator bed near your front entrance adds visual interest and a story buyers remember. Pair it with a small tasteful sign identifying it as a certified pollinator habitat (Xerces Society certification is free) and you've created a memorable detail that gets discussed at showings.

Trend #2: Native Michigan Plantings — Low Maintenance, High Impact

This is arguably the single highest-ROI landscaping trend in our market right now. Native Michigan plants — species that evolved here and are adapted to our soils, rainfall patterns, and winters — are having a major moment, and for very practical reasons.

Native plants, once established (typically after one full growing season), require dramatically less water, fertilizer, and pesticide than non-native ornamentals. They're naturally disease-resistant, winter-hardy, and self-sustaining. For buyers who are time-pressed or simply don't want to be slaves to their yard, a native plant landscape signals something invaluable: easy, beautiful, sustainable living.

Top native Michigan plants that buyers and landscapers are gravitating toward right now include Michigan's own Wild Blue Indigo (Baptisia australis) for dramatic late-spring color, Blue Wild Indigo, Wild Geranium for shaded areas, Prairie Dropseed and Little Bluestem grasses for structural interest through all four seasons, and Serviceberry trees for multi-season appeal — spring blossoms, summer berries for birds, blazing fall color.

💡 Value Tip: Replace a section of high-maintenance lawn with a native plant bed and frame it with a simple decorative border. The visual transformation is dramatic, the long-term maintenance drops significantly, and you're speaking directly to what today's buyers in West Michigan want.

One more thing: Michigan's DNR and many local municipalities offer rebate programs and free native plants for homeowners who convert traditional lawns to native landscapes. That's free money for an upgrade that increases your home's value.

Trend #3: Fire Pit Patios — Extending the Season and the Living Space

West Michigan is a four-season community, but let's be honest — we lean hard into spring through fall outdoor living. Fire pit patios have become one of the most sought-after features in residential listings throughout Muskegon County and the lakeshore communities.

This isn't just about aesthetics. It's about square footage. A well-designed fire pit patio effectively adds an outdoor room to a home. Buyers visualize themselves there — with coffee in the morning, with friends on a Friday night, roasting marshmallows with their kids. That emotional connection is powerful, and it drives offers.

The trend has matured beyond the simple standalone fire pit. What buyers are responding to now are complete patio environments: natural stone or paver surfaces, built-in or moveable seating arrangements, sometimes a pergola or overhead structure for partial shade, and a fire feature — whether a traditional wood-burning pit or a gas-fired option — as the focal point.

💡 Value Tip: You don't need to spend $15,000 on a full hardscape project to capture this trend. A well-laid gravel patio with natural stone pavers, a quality fire pit, and simple seating can be accomplished for $1,500 to $3,000 and photographs exceptionally well for listings. ROI on fire pit additions frequently exceeds 100% in our market.

For sellers, the key is staging. Have the fire pit area clean, styled, and ready for photographs. Throw a few simple throw pillows on the chairs, add some potted plants nearby. Buyers need to see the space as finished and inviting — not as a project.

Trend #4: Low-Maintenance Perennial Beds — Set It and Forget It Landscaping

The days of annual replanting — going to the garden center every May to buy flats of impatiens and marigolds, putting them in the ground, and doing it all over again the next year — are fading fast in our market. Buyers want perennial beds: plants that come back year after year, fill in over time, and look progressively better with minimal intervention.

Well-designed perennial beds communicate something important to buyers: this is a home that's been cared for thoughtfully, with long-term thinking. It signals stability and stewardship. And practically speaking, it means whoever moves in won't face an immediate garden project.

The most effective perennial beds in West Michigan combine early spring bloomers (like daylilies and hostas for shaded spots), summer showstoppers (coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, salvia, rudbeckia), and late-season plants that carry color into October (sedum, asters, ornamental grasses). When you layer these correctly, something is always in bloom from April through October.

💡 Value Tip: Mulch is your best friend here. A fresh layer of dark hardwood mulch around your perennial beds before listing your home is one of the single highest-impact, lowest-cost improvements you can make. It makes plantings look intentional and cared-for, suppresses weeds, and retains moisture — all things buyers notice.

For newer or budget-conscious homeowners: start with a 10-12 foot border bed along your front foundation. Choose three to five perennial species, plant them in odd-numbered groupings of three or five, and mulch well. That single improvement will meaningfully upgrade your home's curb appeal for years.

Connecting All Four Trends: What Buyers Are Really Buying

Here's the thread that runs through all four of these trends: buyers in today's West Michigan market are purchasing a lifestyle as much as a structure. They want outdoor spaces that are beautiful, functional, sustainable, and — critically — manageable. They don't want to inherit a yard that demands every weekend of their summer.

Pollinator gardens, native plantings, fire pit patios, and perennial beds all deliver on those values. They're photogenic in listing photos. They're conversation-starters at showings. And they tell a story about a home that has been loved and invested in.

What to Do Before You List: A Quick Landscaping Checklist

If you're thinking about selling your home in the next 6 to 18 months, here's what I recommend from a landscaping standpoint:

1.  Walk your property with fresh eyes — or ask a friend to do it. What's the first impression from the street?

2.  Invest in fresh mulch for all existing beds before listing. Cost: under $200. Impact: significant.

3.  Consider replacing one section of high-maintenance lawn or bare area with a simple native or perennial planting.

4.  If you have a patio or fire pit area, style it intentionally for listing photos.

5.  Call me. Seriously — I walk every listing I take and provide specific recommendations for your property and price point.

Thinking About Buying or Selling in West Michigan?

Whether you're a homeowner looking to maximize your property's value before listing, or a buyer trying to identify homes with true long-term value in our market — I'm here to help.

I'm Chris Simpson, a Realtor with Five Star Real Estate in Muskegon. I specialize in helping West Michigan families navigate the real estate process with clarity and confidence — from initial pricing conversations to closing day. I live and work in this community, and I know our neighborhoods, our buyers, and what makes homes here sell.

I'd love to connect. Whether you have questions about preparing your home for market, want a free home value assessment, or are just starting to think through your next move — reach out anytime.

📞 Chris Simpson - Five Star Real Estate | Muskegon, Michigan - 231-215-7229

Your West Michigan Real Estate Resource — Chris Simpson