When budgeting for home improvements do you include landscape upgrades? The rule of thumb is to spend 10% of your total home improvement budget on the landscape. Just like your kitchen countertops or the hall bathroom, landscapes can become worn out or dated.
This year you should budget to replace the old railroad ties bordering your bed with rock, or get new shrubs installed to replace the mammoth junipers or yews. You will enjoy the change and reap the rewards when you decide to sell.
With the recent state of residential and commercial business foreclosures, realtors are often left with the difficult task of finding a cost effective way to enhance curb appeal for the properties they are managing or selling. The following are some good strategies for getting the most “bang for the buck.”
Mowing/Spraying
Get the turf mowed and the weeds sprayed. This is a no brainer. The first thing that catches a potential buyer’s eye is the grass. Even a property that hasn’t been mowed all season will look dramatically different after a good mowing and weed kill.
Shrub prune
The landscaper does not incur any capital expenditure is this case, so they can really dress the property up inexpensively with a prune.
Trash removal
Nothing says “neglect” quite like bags of debris scattered around, or worse trash lying in the grass and parking areas.
New mulch
A more expensive option, but if the bed areas are relatively small it will create a lot crisper look.
This advice also holds true for homeowners preparing a house for sale. Of course Complete Turf and Landscape is always happy to come out and provide a no cost estimate and recommendations.