5 Tips For Improving Your Home’s Value With Landscaping
Do you consider landscaping a long-term investment? If not, you probably should. According to the Appraisal Institute, good landscaping can not only increase a home’s value, but may also help sell a property much quicker.
Here is what proper landscaping can do for you home:
- Increase curb appeal and entice buyers to check out the inside of your home.
- Help your house stand out among other homes in your neighborhood.
- Add more functionality to your backyard, which means fewer renovations for buyers to make.
- Become a selling point: Low-maintenance, functional landscaping is highly desirable.
So, how can you make landscaping work for you?
Keep it Simple
Are you someone who enjoys arranging plants in elaborate installations? Unfortunately, potential homebuyers might get overwhelmed by all the flora diversity in your garden when it comes time to sell!
If you are taking a minimalistic approach to landscaping, you might want to add a few shrubs here and there to fill some space and make it seem less empty. A good balance is having a variety of plants that will please the eye any time of the year. For example, evergreens make winter look more colorful, and tulip magnolias and cherry trees create quite a spectacle in spring.
Trim it Down
Plants grow – that’s what they do – and you need to keep that growth in check.
First, eliminate all the obstructions created by plants, such as overgrown bushes blocking the windows or tree roots disrupting paved passages. Pay special attention to large, old trees that may present a hazard during a storm – some of them might have to go.
Second, replace any dying plants and trees with new ones. Third, keep all the shrubbery and trees well-trimmed. Sound like a lot of work? This leads us to the next point.
Hire a Professional Landscaper
It’s a wise decision, especially if you’ve been ignoring landscape maintenance for a while. A professional landscaper will help you determine how to revive your poorly maintained yard and which landscape changes will yield the largest return on investment.
If you don’t know what “perennial” means or what kind of soil you have in your yard, better call your local landscape designer!
Landscaping is More Than a Perfect Lawn
Planting shrubs and flower beds here and there might sound like an easy solution, but all you are doing is creating chaos in your yard. All landscaping elements must be coordinated and work well together if you are looking to wow future house hunters. Here are some of the things you might want to include in your landscaping master plan:
- Functional and decorative lighting.
- Outdoor entertainment areas such as patios, fireplaces or grill stations.
- Convenient passages between the key outdoor areas.
- Solutions for shade and privacy.
- Attractive driveway and house entrance.
Start Today
Even if you don’t plan on selling your home for another five or 10 years, now is a good time to lay the foundation for a great landscape design that will win over your future homebuyers. This way, you won’t have to invest a lot at once – you can stretch renovations over the years. This is especially useful if you want to make expensive home additions, such as a sunroom or a terrace to make a smooth transition between the indoors and the outdoors.
Another benefit of starting now is that your plants will have time to grow. Potential buyers can tell whether the landscape has just gone through a major overhaul or has been cared for over the years. The fact that you put in time and labor to turn your yard into a beautiful outdoor entertainment space indicates that you most likely took good care of the house as well – something any homebuyer would appreciate and pay for.
Source; http://www.realestate.com/advice/5-tips-for-improving-your-homes-value-with-landscaping-93391/
