Landscaping Can Impact House Prices

CHICAGO (May 15, 2013) – The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional association of real estate appraisers, today advised homeowners to properly maintain their landscaping, which can significantly affect property values.

“If a landscaping change is positive, it can often enhance price and reduce a home’s time on the market,” said Appraisal Institute President Richard L. Borges II, MAI, SRA. “But if the change is negative, it can lower the price and lengthen the time a home remains for sale.”

Curb appeal is essential when selling a home, Borges said, noting it’s the homeowner’s opportunity to make a great first impression. A home with lackluster landscaping or an exterior in desperate need of a fresh coat of paint will likely be unappealing to prospective buyers and ultimately could affect the home’s potential resale value, he said.

Landscaping is typically associated with lawns, trees, bushes and flowers. But other items also can be considered part of landscaping, such as fire pits, decks, patios, waterfalls, swimming pools and outdoor lighting … all of which could add to the value of the home.

Borges added that homeowners should trim growth regularly, replant approximately every 5 to 10 years depending on growth and not “overwhelm” the house. He also advised that homeowners check out what their neighbors have done and keep landscaping maintenance and improvements on par with neighborhood norms.

According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, trees that are too close to buildings may be fire hazards. Additionally, larger tree root systems that extend underneath a house can cause foundation uplift and can leech water from the soil beneath foundations, causing the structures to settle and sink unevenly.

According to a recent study conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine, about two-thirds of homeowners say they’ll get less than 60 percent of their landscaping investment back when they sell the home.

“Landscaping improvements could make an impact on resale value, and homeowners need to consider how long they’ll be in the home and whether to make short-term updates or plan for the long haul,” Borges said.

Borges said homeowners should ask themselves the following questions when it comes to the quality of their home’s green space:

• Is the landscaping attractive enough to make the prospective buyer walk through the front door? Keep the design contemporary and in line with comparable properties in the area.
• Could the landscaping provide cost savings? Landscaping that requires little or no water to maintain could be desirable depending on the geographic area.
• Is the landscaping energy-efficient for the home overall? For example, it’s a good idea to plant trees in a place where they block the sun in locations with year-round hot climates.
• Are the trees planted at a safe distance from the home and are they healthy and well maintained? Weak, old or damaged trees planted too close to a home or building could pose dangers to the home’s structure and will need to be removed. Consumers should also be sure that mulching or beds don’t get too close to wood around foundations to avoid wood-destroying organisms.

Ready to get that project going and sell your house? If so call me and let's now add to best marketing plan to get your house the exposure it needs to show off and attract that buyer!

Noemi Cardoso

William Raveis Real Estate

Cell: 508-558-1945

www.DistinctiveHomes-Ne.com

Fluent in Portuguese and English

Licensed in MA & RI

14 Ways to Create Curb Appeal that Won't Break the Bank

Monday we were talking about exterior house paint ideas and that got me to thinking about all of the other details we’re hoping to accomplish on the now not-so-charming exterior of the house.

 

I’ve admittedly made myself a regular on our hope-to-be-new-street while we’ve patiently waited for this house buying process to pan itself out.  Now, having stopped short of being a creepy stalker lady with a camera, I have exhibited significant self restraint by refraining from actually taking pictures while I’m trolling the street.  :)

 

But let’s take a look at one picture I took during the inspection and get a feel for what we’re working with.

Can you say room for improvement?!?!?  :)

 

One thing we’re not going to change is the size.

 

We have definitely traded in square footage in exchange for the location we want.  We feel extremely fortunate to be in a position to be one of the select few who own (well, as of hopefully tomorrow anyway) a slice of paradise on this little 2 mile by 4 mile island.  Maybe one day we’ll be in a farmhouse in the country, but for now, we’re soaking up the sun and relishing the idea of taking our 1274 square feet in Key West and having the potential to make it our very own.

 

Are here are a few of the curb appeal ideas that are making our hearts go pitter patter these days.
 

1 – Update the house numbers.  Right now they are cursive and spelled out and they kind of scream “I’m from the 1950′s”.  I think this is a little touch that I might go on the modern side, just to bring in some juxtaposition.
 

2 – Pick a fun color for the front door.  #needIsaymore  I’ve debated getting an entirely new door, this one has some wood detailing as well as stained glass (painted over on the outside but not on the inside) that I can’t figure out if I love or hate.  But I’m leaning toward not hating, which isn’t love … but it isn’t hate either … which means it’s workable.  :)
 

3 – Do something about the bright brass.  And I’m only talking about that deadbolt.  I might be considering working with the tarnished brass.  There is actually a built in mailbox door that is just to the left of the picture that is also a tarnished brass.  Having 3 elements with the same finish might create a fun, eclectic look … add in some modern house numbers for that touch on juxtaposition … it’s an idea.
 

4 – Remove the faux brick. It serves no purpose.  It’s unattractive and removing it will help us with a few of the other items coming up on the list.
 

5 – Paint.  Oh peach how I will not miss you.  These are our exterior house paint ideas.

(and just so you don’t have to keep scrolling up to analyze the picture and develop your own plans for the space … which I highly encourage btw)

6 – Paint. Update the light. I hate to get rid of something that is perfectly functional, but the current light is another element that is indicative of it’s era … something a little more modern will help bring the space to life.

7 – Update the windows.  I have really high hopes for this change.  Once we remove the faux brick we open up the possibility of installing full sized windows.  These stubby little ones do nothing but make the space feel even more stout than it is.  This porch was built with no spare head room (see how it’s pretty flush with the top of the front door) so having the vertical vision broken up even more with stubby windows and the faux brick only serves to make it feel … well … stubby.  We are tossing around the idea of raising the roof (only for the porch) … but that is a much more major project that we’ll tackle if the plan to unify the house color and update the windows doesn’t enhance the look of the space enough.
 

8 – With new windows comes the need for new shutters.  Not only the longer size to work with the new windows, but a fun and lively color … or a reclaimed wood look.  I keep going back and forth between the two ideas.  It will depend in part on what color we end up with on the door.  And a fun Florida fact is that if you have windows with impact glass (shatter resistant) your shutters don’t have to be functional … that opens up our options a bit to maybe design our own shutters.  Although having pretty and functional shutters would be the best of both worlds so we’d love to try to accomplish that, too, if possible.
 

9 – Goodbye office furniture and hello rocking chairs.  I’m pretty excited about beautifying this space a bit, I have to admit.  And I’m sure we’ll go through a myriad of set ups and arrangements and overall random porch updates until we find what suits us for the long haul.  But one thing I now for sure is that we have 2 old rocking chairs heading our way and they are going to be happy to be out of storage and given a porch to call their very own.

(you’re welcome)

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the little guy to the left of the office chairs is heading out with the current residents, too.  :)

10 – Puney posts to pretty and powerful.  These porch posts do nothing for us.  We really have no idea about this one (somehow create stately round columns right over those puney guys?!?!) but we think if we give the puney porch posts a little more punch they could really perfect the picturesque porch feel we’re going for.

And yes, this post is brought to you by the letter P.  :)
 

11 – Sky blue.  One really cool trend down here is that people paint the ceilings of their porches a light, sky blue.  We’re definitely going to get in on that fun.
 

12 – Clean and freshen up the trim.  This is actually probably step one, but I’m hoping a good swift scrubbing will give this space a little kick start.  And those rolling blind thingys will probably magically disappear, too.
 

13 – Plant some plants.  We’re hoping to use a variety of planter boxes and update whatever shrub they’ve got growing there to add a little color and life, and maybe a little privacy, to the space.
 

14 - The wall.  I’m not sure if we’ll be painting, removing or somehow updating with pickets the current look of our front wall, but once we have the curb appeal foundation with the other updates above we’ll be revisiting the front wall and making some decisions about how best to incorporate it into the over all look.
 

So basically we’re not leaving one surface untouched.  And I haven’t even mentioned the covering for the concrete carport.  That post will be brought to you by the letter C.  :)
 

But what sticks out the most to you?  What would you change first?  Are you all about a new paint color or would you go to town with some fresh plantings?

Written by Kara http://thespacebetweenblog.net/2013/03/27/curb-appeal-ideas/

If you are just looking for a way to refresh the look of the house for the season or really considering of selling a fresh and attractive curb appeal is primary to attract that buyer to walk through the doors. If they don't like what they see outside they sure will have a hard time passing that distractions and focusing on all the wonderful things you may have to offer inside.

Ready to get your home SOLD? If so, give me a call and let's will prepare a strategy plan to get your house spic 'n spam to shine the competition away.

Noemi Cardoso
William Raveis Real Estate
911 Main Rd, Westport MA 02790
Cell: 508-558-1945
www.DistinctiveHomes-NE.com
Noemi.Cardoso@Raveis.com


 

Landscaping for Curb Appeal

Spring is here, and with it comes so does the opportunity to overhaul your front yard — not only for simple aesthetics, but also because an attractive and well-cared-for front yard acts like a gigantic welcome mat for homebuyers. If you are in the market to sell your home, your yard can contribute greatly to your home's curb appeal for these buyers.

You don't need to start with a major overhaul of your front yard. In fact, there are a lot of ways you can revise your lawn to spruce things up, and create a neat, inviting look that will turn buyer's heads and encourage them to knock on the door. If you are preparing to sell your home over the next few months, here are some things you'll want to do:

Start with some spring-cleaning. Start off by mowing, trimming, weeding, raking up leaves and generally giving your yard a solid overhaul to get it looking its best. Makes sure to edge the lawn and trim the perimeters of flower beds and borders around the trees and shrubs to give your yard a professional, manicured look.

Start planting. To further that professional look, take some time to add small plants and even larger items such as bushes and small trees from the home store to areas of your front that might seem a little sparse and in need of some coverage.

Refresh your flowerbeds. Plant brightly colored flowers in your newly cleaned flowerbeds to add some serious visual flash and generate interest in your home. Make sure the flowers you pick complement your home's color.

Make the most of limited space. If you don't have a lot of room in your front yard, you can still make an impact with a little creativity. Use window boxes, hanging planters, and pots to increase your opportunities to use flowers and eye-catching plants that will get buyers to look twice.

Create a tasteful focal point. You might have a sentimental attachment to your garden gnome or plastic flamingo, but if you're trying to sell your home, put your lawn decorations into storage and replace them with a single focal point for the lawn. This could be a sculpture, fountain or similar item that gives your yard a memorable signature look.

Create a dramatic entry with plants. Use plants to draw attention to your front door. An easy way to accomplish this is with flowerpots on either side of the front door. Consider some small trees that you can closely trim, or perhaps small trellises on either side that are covered in flowering vines. Like the flowers you might select for flowerbeds, make sure the colors compliment your home's exterior.

Clean up your concrete. While technically not landscaping, your driveway, walkways, stepping stones and similar features also need a little spring cleaning if you want to maximize your curb appeal. Make sure to clean up weeds poking between paving stones or sections of concrete, remove all dirt and grime, trim growth around paving stones, and clean up any oil stains or similar spots from the driveway or curb. Together with your cleaned up yard and other landscaping, your hard work will dramatically increase your home's curb appeal and keep it looking great all through spring.

Noemi Cardoso
RE/MAX Welcome Home
Serving Westport, Dartmouth, Fall River, MA
Little Compton, Tiverton, RI and surrounding towns.
www.DistinctiveHomes-NE.com