A lot has been written about landscaping yards for curb appeal because buyers see the outside first when they drive up to a home. So it makes sense to make this area as attractive and inviting as possible. Doing that requires thinking about what would really make a property alluring.
You don't have to spend thousands of dollars landscaping a home when you're about ready to put your home on the market. Instead, investing a few hundred dollars could make a huge difference to a buyer. In fact, curb appeal can be the sole reason prospective buyers ever end up entering a home. That's why listing agents will often give their sellers tips to help them fix up their homes. Here are a few things you can do.
1. Color is key.
An attractive landscape usually has color. Many people add flowering plants along the walkway and porch area to create a focal point on the home. The colorful plants add a cheerful welcome and create a memorable landscape. Remember, buyers will generally visit numerous homes in a day, so anything you can do to help them remember yours, in a positive way, will increase the chance of a second visit or even an offer. Colors that grab the most attention are red, orange, and yellow. Cooler colors such as blues and purples help to relax people and can be perfect in meditation gardens.
2. Use colorful mulch.
Maybe you have an area that needs some sort of mulch. You don't have to use the traditional wood chips, which soon deteriorate, to fill in planter boxes or backyard playgrounds. Rubber mulch uses recycled ground rubber that comes in several different colors including green, brown, blue, and cypress. "Make sure any recycled mulch you buy is tread-free. You don't want to have any steel. You don't want to have a lot of tread. You need to look out for that. There are companies that just offer black tires recycle and that's usually going to be pretty dirty," says Paul Parker, owner of San Diego Backyard Adventures.
It can be bought in small quantities such as 40-pound bags or large super sacks. "It will not deteriorate; it's going to last," says Parker. A 40-pound bag will cost approximately $20. Parker adds, "This product is going to look good for literally five or 10 years and, if you're concerned with the short-term, you can put the [mulch] down and it's going to add color and be pleasing to the eye."
An added benefit is that if your home has a backyard playground and you put mulch underneath it instead of wood chips, you gain a higher level of protection and an additional selling point to feature. "It's definitely going to add value because oftentimes if you put a play system on a hard surface there's no safety—but if the [rubber mulch] is already there, it's going to add a lot of value," says Parker.
3. Artificial grass.
Green grass is a beautiful feature in a yard but keeping it green can be a challenge no matter where you live. Using synthetic grass in various areas of your yard can transform an ugly area of dirt into a lush-looking yard. Parker cautions homeowners to choose the grass products carefully, "There are some products out there that are being cheaply made. So [the grass] has a single blade rather than a much thicker weave. You want to make sure the grass you buy has at least a 10-year warranty," says Parker.
4. Illusion of space.
Hide boundaries such as fences and walls. Make them appear boundless by breaking up the line of the wall which can create a closed-off feeling. Paint and the placement of plants help give an illusion of more space. Using tall but thin plants in your yard (as opposed to wide ones) can make a small area look bigger. Curved lines can help soften the look of a home that is constructed with too many straight lines or right angles.
5. Clean up the driveway.
If you've been a do-it-yourselfer with your automobiles (oil changes, etc.) then maybe it shows on your driveway. Oil spills are highly unsightly and will, if not chase away prospective buyers, at least create a memory of your home that you don't want. Clean up the spills and move the parked cars to give buyers a chance to take in the entire residence. Many will snap photos and make notes to review for later. Don't let an oil mark leave a black mark in buyers' minds.
2 comments:
Interesting article- and the part about synthetic grass being a great way to add value to a home is very true.
Word to the wise---
People need to be careful that they understand the difference between true synthetic grass and artificial turf- the latter is the lightweight, plastic, rubber tire crumb filled material used to cover sports fields in a cost effective way. It's not for residential or commercial landscaping or putting greens. Synthetic grass, invented by SYNLawn, is the antithesis of artificial turf- it contains no messy rubber crumbs or alternative messy particles. It's simple lush, thick, performance oriented synthetic grass- it doesn't shine, it doesn't look just ok from a distance, it looks like real grass- more so than any other type of fake grass you can see- bar none.
I was curious about the caution to make certain that the artificial grass has "at least" a 10 year warranty.
Operators of companies that are simply reselling artificial turf or artificial grass they buy from various middle men should realize that yarn manufacturers do not offer 10 year warranties on their products.
They are typically 5 year warranties and in some cases 7 years.
Anyone encountering a re-seller of fake grass casually offering a 10 year warranty (I've seen some as ridiculously long as 25 years!!!) should really dig deep and find out exactly who and what is behind that warranty. You may find that the warranty doesn't truly, in any meaningful sense, go beyond the person installing it.
In 2008 and into 2009 in Southern California, multiple "turf companies", the name these installers are referred to by, have gone out of business- and just as many have emerged trying to "cash in" on the craze.
At SYNLawn, we receive multiple calls every week from people looking for some kind of service on a lawn they purchased- usually an artificial turf lawn, and they complain that the company that put it in is out of business or cannot be reached.
What is truly important is that you find out what it is you are actually purchasing. After all, it is a PRODUCT. In many cases, the installer / re-seller you are dealing with doesn't even know!
The smart choice is to purchase a well known national brand- one that is manufactured, installed and warranteed under one name.
SYNLawn is by far the largest manufacturer in the country of synthetic landscape grass. We invented it and in San Diego for example, you can find us at 7050 Miramar Road, San Diego, CA 92121.
We have an 8,000 sq. ft. display garden featuring over 20 of our state of the art products installed in a variety of demonstrative landscape situations. In Los Angeles, we are at 15355 Raymer St., Van Nuys, CA 91406.
There's realy nothing like it out there.
The best way to learn about synthetic landscape grass is to speak with the people that created it- and you can find them at www.synlawn.com - a place where there really are 10 and even 12 year warranties available from the manufacturer.
Check for rebates in your area.
In the DC metro area - you can see SYNLawn on major projects- like the 30,000 sq. ft. sloped median accross from the Hyatt blocks from the Whitehouse. Also featured in multiple military projects throughout Virginia.
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