From the outside in

Can your landscaping improve the value of your home?

By Sharon Naylor

our home’s landscaping can be a big selling point for your home, and even if you’re not selling now, the trees, bushes and bulbs you plant now can make your home more valuable months or years to come — while providing enjoyment right now.

According to the Appraisal Institute, attractive landscaping all around a home can increase curb appeal and entice buyers to attend your open house or schedule a tour of your home. (Buyers’ mindsets may be that if you, as the homeowner, take such great care of the outside of your home, you may be likelier to do upkeep and design the inside of your home, as well.) The Appraisal Institute also found that proper landscaping will make your home stand out among other homes in your neighborhood, and low-maintenance plants are also desirable among buyers. Lovely landscaping in your backyard lets buyers envision the entertaining they’ll do in that space, a big selling point, as well. In addition to plant diversity, as well as a range of plant and flower sizes, here are some particularly appealing aspects of landscape design you could incorporate into your yard:

Landscaping all around your home. If your front yard is bursting with plants and a bright green manicured lawn, but your side and backyards are unfinished or even devoid of plantings, the effect is less impressive. Plant all around your property, including the front corners of your property, to add extra pops of color and texture there.

A variety of healthy trees. A halfdead tree will hurt your home’s value when potential buyers predict pricy tree-trimming service work ahead. Healthy trees boost home value, and you can add more value to your home by having your real estate agent attach a description of your trees — and their values — to your home listing.

Did you know that the different trees on your property create increased value for your home? Use the National Tree Benefit Calculator to assess your tree types’ benefits to carbon reduction, energy savings, storm water runoff and property values. A list of these benefits on your home listing can impress potential buyers tremendously. And just three properly placed trees could save you between $100 and $250 a year in energy costs, says the U.S. Department of Energy. Planting windbreaks and shade trees can reduce winter heating bills by 15 percent and air conditioning bills by 75 percent. Plants that provide foliage and color in all seasons. Those spring flowers have an expiration date, but evergreens will provide beauty all year long. A smart mix of trees, bushes and flowers creates an attractive overlapping of landscape effects throughout all seasons.

Well-maintained gardens. Trim trees and shape bushes. Deadhead roses and pull weeds to enhance your curb appeal. Modern hardscaping. Your plants will look even better with a modern stone or paver terrace and walkways throughout your property. Old, cracked stones from decades ago will hurt the look of your pretty plants. Rock walls, retaining walls, stone garden benches and well-placed light- ing effects in your landscaping add even more beauty and value to your home’s appearance.

While it is possible to do your own landscaping to improve the value of your home, hiring a professional is most advised, since an expert will be able to advise you on the best tree and plant choices for your home’s layout and potential energy savings, native plants that bring the most value to your home, proper pruning of your existing trees and bushes to make them look newer and more valuable, lawn seeding and weed treatment, and more.

What should you spend? The American Society of Landscape Architects recommends that homeowners invest 10 percent of the home’s value in landscaping, including hardscaping, lighting, fire pits, ponds and even swimming pools, all to boost their home’s appearance and value.

Photo: Landscaping adds curb appeal and other value improvement to your home.

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