SEEING GREEN
How Professional Landscaping
Can Increase Your Home's Value

All homeowners want to thing that any upgrades made to their homes will pay back in the long run. Most owners know that money put into a new bathroom or kitchen is a good investment. But investing in your home's exterior makes good sense, too.

Consider this: When your home is appraised as part of the selling process, an appraiser will look over the home, compare it to others in the community, then add or subtract value according to what they see. The appraiser notes, if the home's interior is aged or new as compared with other homes in the community. They also look at additions, finished basements, fireplaces and other amenities to determine value.

Curb Appeal Sells:
One of those amenities, landscaping, may be the most underused method of raising property valuation in the real estate industry. Several studies of the last few years have revealed that landscaping increases property value. According to information from Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) landscaping can add between 7% and 15% to a home's value. Other studies show it may also reduce the time on the market by five to six weeks. The Wall Street Journal reported that landscape investments are recovered fully, and sometime doubled, by the increased home value.

What And Where?
Are all plantings equal? The experts weigh in again: Research from the University of Florida found that lot size, plant type, plant spacing and overall design also determine how much return homeowners get on their landscaping investment. Quickly adding color appears to help in the short run to beautify a home. Owners desiring a more long-term effect should focus on trees and shrubs that will grow over time. In fact, according to the LSU AgCenter, mature tree can often have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000. In one study 99% of real estate appraisers concurred that landscaping enhances the sales appeal of real estate.

The associated Landscape Contractors of America aggress that a properly installed and maintained landscape gives homeowners a 100% to 200% return on their investment. Compare that with a reported 77% return on investment for a remodeled bathroom and you can see how landscaping can pay for itself when you sell your home.

Bringing It Home
The most wonderful thing about landscaping is that you can install it now and enjoy it while you live in the home. Unlike other home improvement projects, such as replacing carpet, they may need to be done just before selling a home, landscaping usually looks better for having time to grow and establish itself. So, even if you have no plans to see anytime soon, you can start your landscaping plan now.

Where to begin? Since first impressions are vital to selling your home, begin with the front yard. You may have grand plans for a park-like setting with a gazebo in the backyard but if your front yard is blighted with poor soil, cracked walkways or rampant weeds, most buyers will drive on. Once basic clean-up, pruning and mowing are taken care of, it's time to consider what your landscaping will look like year- round. You may want to plant shrubs and trees that hang on to their leaves even through the winter. Some plants bloom through the coolest of nights and driest of seasons. Year-round color puts you ahead of your competition.

Finishing Touches
With your front yard looking its best, you can now plan that sanctuary spot you so desire. Build a gazebo, stone wall or fenced area. You could add special lighting to highlight your trees and walkways. Add benches and you have an inviting area that will lure in buyers even those who aren't nature lovers. Finally, take your indoors, outdoors. Decks, patios, even kitchens make the outdoors more enticing and can help to create a competitive edge for your home.