You have paid to have new siding installed and painted. Your husband rebuild the front porch with no maintenance vinyl materials, and a crew came in and tore down and then rebuilt the deck off the kitchen. In spite of all of this work, however, when you approach your home things still appear to be in a state of disrepair. For while you have addressed many of the exterior issues around your home, you have not done anything to update the landscaping around your home. The fact that the everything growing in the front of your home was planted nearly 20 years ago means that the shrubs and bushes are looking a little rough.
On several occasions, your husband has trimmed everything the best that he can, but within just a few weeks the plants have grown so high that they are again taller than the new porch railings. Your husband is certain that the only real option is to tear everything out and just start again, so he has someone coming on to look over the entire area. Most of the landscaping is located in the front of the house, but there are also a few plants along one side and a bush by the door for the walkout basement.
You are hopeful that the professional landscapers will have some good suggestions that will not require too much upkeep. You know the mess that you have now took 20 years to get this way, but you remember that neither you nor your husband were all that excited about doing even the small amount of trimming that was required in the beginning.
Even the Prettiest Of Homes Can Lose Their Curb Appeal If the Landscaping Is Overgrown
It only takes a short drive through most neighborhoods to find the houses that look like they are well cared for. And while the color of a house and the condition of the windows can tell your neighbors a little bit about your home, the most telling sign about the value a home owner puts in a piece of property is often communicated through the landscaping.
In addition to improving the curb appeal of your home, professional landscaping can also improve the value of your property. In fact, many real estate agents indicate that landscaping can increase a home?s resale value by as much as 14%. Landscaping design ideas, created by professionals, can make an instant improvement to the front of your home. In addition, retaining wall designs and other permanent features like nighttime lighting fixtures can add drama to your space even when the flowers are not blooming.
Consider some of these specific facts about landscaping and other features that can enhance the visual effect, as well as the value, of your home:
- 83% of Americans think having a yard is important and 90% of property owners with a yard indicate it is important to make sure that yard is well-maintained.
- An investment as small as 5% of your home?s value on landscaping may get a return on investment (ROI) of as much as 150%.
- Real estate agents indicate that landscaping decreases the amount of time a home is on the market, sometimes by as much as six weeks.
- 90% of real estate agents encourage home owners to invest in landscaping upgrades and purchases prior to listing a home for sale.
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- 75% of Americans feel that ir is important to spend time outside in their yards, according to a new survey by Harris Poll for the National Association of Landscape Professionals. This research was conducted among 2,034 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.
In addition to adding both curb appeal and value to your home, major landscaping additions can also help with energy costs. In fact, shade from trees can reduce air conditioning costs by as much as 25% during the summer, and the shielding trees provide against wind can even reduce heating costs by 10% during the winter. As far as the environment goes, a single tree can remove 26 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere a year. This equals 11,000 miles of car emissions. Also, shrubs and turf can remove dust, smoke,, and other dangerous pollutants from the air.