You don’t get a second chance to make a strong first impression, especially when it comes to your house. Your home’s exterior should look its best if you are interested in selling it. That is what a prospective buyer will see first, and it will have a significant influence on how they view the entire property. The right landscape will improve your home’s curb appeal, which can have just as much sway on a potential homebuyer as a kitchen or bathroom.
How to Get a Strong Return on Your Landscaping Investment
Landscaping Fundamentals
A general rule of thumb is to invest approximately 10 percent of the value of your home to its landscaping. ‘Landscaping’ not only incorporates bushes, trees and lawns. It includes components such as exterior lighting and fencing, and even pools and decks.
Working with a professional landscaper can help you determine what you want and how it can look great on your property. A skilled landscape design pro will help you achieve an exterior that meets all of your needs.
Work With a Professional
If you are looking for added curb appeal and the improvement of your entire yard, it’s recommended that you speak with a professional who has a thorough understanding of soil, irrigation, grading, and everything in between.
Planning Your New Landscape
Before you can put a shovel or spade in the ground, you have to properly assess your property. A professional can advise you on what plants and vegetation are appropriate for your soil and climate. He/she can also tell you whether anything should be removed, such as dying vegetation.
After assessing what you have, a landscaper will determine where improvements can be made. Improvements could include the installation of a new deck or patio, a walkway, exterior lighting, and much more. Lighting can be especially useful not only for security; it can highlight certain aspects of the property that you might want to show off.
Landscaping Trends
One of the most notable trends is outdoor room installation. An ‘outdoor room’ is a room connected to the house – often through a common area like the living room – that combines the outside and inside living spaces. This extension might have features such as fountains, trees or grass that provide a view and the feeling of nature, even though it is technically inside the house.
With an increasing number of TV shows highlighting new ideas and creative construction, home renovation itself has never been a hotter topic. Landscaping is included in this niche. Homeowners are focusing more on matching the appeal of their indoor space with their outdoor space. Backyards are also becoming more detailed.
Common Landscaping Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when landscaping your home is to take a piece-by-piece approach. All too often a homeowner will think something sounds great for their backyard and get to work. When that project is finished, they may start another project. In the end, when all of these individual projects are finished, the property can look disjointed. Having a plan professionally put together by a landscaper will help make everything a cohesive whole. Each component will be implemented with the look and feel of the entire property in mind.
Patience and Scheduling
After you start working on your new landscape design, it is important that you protect what is already in place. Your landscaper can offer advice on how to maintain and care for your yard. If you don’t have a green thumb, it may be a good idea to employ the services of someone who can keep your plants healthy and strong. Maintenance and upkeep are vital skills to make sure that everything looks as great as it can. Make sure you practice patience as well. Devise a plan with your landscaper that is realistic and takes the entire property into account.
About The Author
Alec C. is a marketing spokesperson for Dean Bjorkstrand Landscaping, a Minnesota-based landscape design and winter services company.
