It’s what’s inside that counts.

Don’t judge a book by its cover.

These oft-repeated quotes are important lessons and universal truths… unless we’re talking about real estate.

In today’s market, the inside of a home is still its most important aspect. The outside, however, is beginning to hold more weight. Outdoor living spaces are a huge draw for potential buyers, as they’re an easy way to maximize entertainment and living spaces.

If you want to add value to your home, then putting some work into its outer appearance is a great strategy.
For some people, the idea of investing in the great outdoors might seem counterintuitive. You don’t necessarily want to shell out the money for an outdoor kitchen or intricate landscaping if you aren’t going to live there long enough to enjoy it.

There is, however, one thing you can do that will increase the value of your home, improve your outdoor space, and keep costs down – build a fire pit.

Fire pits are cozy and fun. In the summer, you can roast s’mores over them, while in the winter they can help keep you warm. They liven up any party, invite shared stories (scary and otherwise), and immediately soothe anyone who gazes into their flickering flames. Best of all, they’re an extra touch that could help your home go from “For Sale” to “Sold.”

If you’d like to add a fire pit to your yard, this project can be completed in the span of a weekend. There are many methods and designs to choose from, so you can ensure the style of the fire pit matches both your skill level and your style.

Check out the following ideas and choose the one you like best:

• Good news! You can purchase a fire pit kit from a hardware store, then follow the instructions to create a beautiful fire pit. A steel fire bowl surrounded by concrete blocks is a classic design.
• If you like the look of brick that can be a great choice and the classic design will please any buyer.
• Small space? No problem! A modest, self-contained, and no-frills fire pit is a great choice for a yard that doesn’t have a lot of lawn.
• Thanks to many manufacturers, you can skip the concrete and mortar. Instead, they use masonry kits to build your pit which is much more efficient and goes together like a puzzle. Use the extra time you saved to build rustic log benches around your fire!