When buying a home, the first thing you see is generally the front yard or entryway. Many sellers will use this to their advantage and try to up their curb appeal to help entice buyers and add value to their home, thus creating a more profitable sale. While it is true that buyers enjoy a nicely landscaped yard, unfortunately, while it may be appealing for a time, often the quick landscaping that is added to a home will not last. When touring a home, prior to placing an offer, take a peek at the landscaping. Here a few things to keep your eyes out for to make sure your landscaping will look it’s best for years to come.
Related: 5 Things Sellers May not Want you to Know About a House
Year-Round Landscape
A home that has a landscape filled with freshly planted flowers will look nice and inviting for a time, however, once those flowers die you are left without any color or mature plants to liven up your yard. Look for homes that have year-round landscape to provide color without having to replant every few months.
Privacy/Trees
Does the current landscaping allow for privacy? Look for tall mature trees that provide both shade and privacy, privacy trees, etc. Mature trees can help keep your home slightly secluded from your neighbors and the road.
Low Maintenance
While a perfectly manicured lawn looks appealing, the amount of work it takes to maintain it may be daunting. Look for a yard that is appealing and yet low maintenance. Bushes, trees, fully grown in flower beds, bark or mulch, etc. are all great options when looking for a low maintenance yard.
Related: What the Online Listing Doesn’t tell You About a Property
Lighting
As we move into the fall season, it is especially important to look for lighting features within the landscape.
Irrigation
If you are looking for a home with a large yard or highly landscaped lawn, look for built-in irrigation systems. This will eliminate hours spent tending to the yard during the spring and summer months.
Related: 6 Benefits of Drip Irrigation
Pathways
Make sure the space is functional. If there is a gate to the backyard, make sure there is a nice pathway that leads to the gate, without a proper path, over time you will end up damaging the landscaping where a path should be and cause quite an eyesore.
For more tips on finding your next home, to find a qualified buyer’s agent, or for any questions regarding the buying or selling process, please feel free to contact our office at any time.
Contact Mitzi – Your Buyer’s Agent