Landscaping is an investment in your home and the environment. Average landscaping increases the value of a home by five percent. Excellent landscaping can increase property value by as much as 11 percent.
Landscapes which reduce the cost of heating and cooling the home produce as much as an additional three percent increase in home value. Plants and trees combat carbon dioxide, while protecting the environment from additional carbon emissions from energy consumption. Non-flowering plants can reduce the number of allergens inside a home.
Two types of landscaping investments can increase the selling price of your home: Long term and short term. Both have some similarities. Each type is diversified differently.
Common Sense Advice
~ Hire a local professional to design the landscape. You will implement a design with a good survival rate, complementary to the surrounding neighborhood and with an eye for detail you may never have considered.
~ Ask for indigenous plants and trees. These are more likely to survive drought conditions and will require the least amount of upkeep.
~ Avoid high maintenance designs. Shrubs which need constant trimming will be very costly in the long run and could cost you more money in the short term. You do not want to hire someone to replant perennial flowers before you sell the house. A buyer may not want the bother or expense of a high maintenance yard.
~ Avoid trendy items. Water features and statues fall out of fashion quickly and may turn potential buyers away. Stay natural.
~ Use natural elevation and drainage to save water costs. Proper landscape design will reduce the amount of water needed to sustain a garden.
~ Plant evergreens on the north side of the home to block winter winds. Plant deciduous trees on the south side to shade the home in summer. Proper tree placement can save up to 25% of heating and cooling costs. The boost in energy efficiency will increase the value of the home.
~ Plant according to the mature size of the plant. Overcrowding plants decreases their survival rate and increases the maintenance work, as plants will need to be removed over time.
~ Protect your foundation. Planting large rooted trees and shrubs too near the house will have disastrous effects on your foundation, sidewalks and driveway.
~ Weed protection. Shop for inexpensive weed control barriers. This investment will reduce maintenance costs for the life of the landscape.
~ Mulch. Cover around and between plants to homogenize the landscape look, protect young plants and lower watering frequency and cost. Consider rock or stone where appropriate, as it does not need to be replaced or maintained as often.
~ Recycle. If removing current vegetation from your yard, use the plants as mulch in your new landscape. Consult your horticulturist about seed removal and reproduction processes to be certain you will not be accidentally replanting them.
~ Leave room for expansion. Instead of landscaping every inch, leave sufficient lawn for the new owners. They may want to add features like fountains, fruit trees or fish ponds.
Long Term Investments
Are you planning to live in your house for more than ten years? Your assets, the plants themselves, will have plenty of time to grow for you. Invest a relatively small amount in your landscaping and get the best return on your investment. Investing two to four percent of your home's value into landscaping, you can easily triple your money at sales time.
Long Term Tips
1. Plant smaller trees and shrubs. Time is on your side, so save money by buying less mature plants and trees.
2. Landscape over a longer period of time. You need not rush to plant the entire design at one time. Spread purchases over the course of two planting seasons, rather than finance the entire project at one time.
3. Start big. If you plant the largest trees and shrubs first, you will begin to reap the cost savings of energy savings to help you finance the smaller portions of the landscape.
4. Take pictures each season. Show the durable value of your investment by showcasing its beauty in all seasons.
Short Term Investments
Are you selling your home in next six months? You will not see as great a return on your investment because your assets will literally not have time to grow. The value of your home will be about two to five percent more than what you invest. Invest as much as possible.
Short Term Tips
1. Plant more mature shrubs and adolescent trees. While still not fully mature, they will more adequately fill the landscape producing a finished appearance.
2. As you approach sale time, plant flowering plants. Perennial or annual flowering plants will add a vibrancy and maturity to the landscape.
3. DIY. Whenever possible, do the buying and planting yourself. More than half of a landscape's cost is labor. Instead of paying a landscaper more than $25 per hour, do it yourself. If you do not know how to successfully plant trees, learn or engage someone who is knowledgeable. Balance the cost of replacing a tree or plant you will kill with the cost of paying someone else to plant it.
4. Maintain an immaculate landscape. While you await closing, keep the landscape perfect. Casual buyers will pass by a home without the real estate agent to see its condition. If you only keep it up when the real estate agent is showing it, you may not reap the benefits of your investment.
Whether you are planting for your own enjoyment, the added value to your home or a greener environment, landscaping is a time-honored investment in your home.