Carve out the perfect outdoor space

The backyard can be a selling point in your listing, no matter the size. Up your listing’s backyard appeal by transforming it into an entertaining space. Houselogic, a home remodeling and design website, offers some key areas to address to achieve the look:

1. Create privacy.

Make the backyard a private sanctuary for homeowners. Precast concrete geometric blocks, for example, can protect privacy without blocking light, Houselogic suggests. They can be used as a vertical element to make smaller yards feel bigger.

2. Mimic the indoors.

Make the spaces functional by taking a cue from the indoors. Sellers may get much of their money back too: Homeowners tend to recoup 70 percent of their costs on resale after building a new patio and an outdoor kitchen gets 71 percent, according to the National Association of Realtors' Remodeling Impact Report. Consider adding built-in benches for seating or hanging a chandelier or pendant lights for functional lighting over the dining space, Houselogic recommends.

3. Add some shade.

Extending the roof may be a pricey option, but there are other ways to make the backyard more shielded and inviting from that summer sun. Houselogic recommends a pergola planted with vines or a retractable awning.