In these difficult economic times, many homeowners are reluctant to spend money on their homes and property. As they see home values drop in their neighborhood or nearby neighborhoods they wonder if it is worth the extra expense. It is a legitimate concern. Professional landscaping can be costly. Is it worth it? The answer to this question is: It depends.
There are many factors involved in determining whether or not professional landscaping will add value to your home. Some of the important elements include the current condition of your home and landscaping, the value of your home relative to the value of the homes in your neighborhood and how much you plan to spend on the landscaping itself.
HOME VALUES
One of the most important things to consider when deciding on a home improvement project and how much to spend on it, is to have a very good idea of the value of your home relative to the other homes in the immediate vicinity. You do not want to improve or enhance your property beyond that of your neighbors but you do want to bring it up to equal value if it is not.
In other words, if you were to put your home on the market at the same time as someone else in your neighborhood for approximately the same price, would a buyer be more interested in yours or theirs? Would your home be as attractive, or more attractive, than your neighbors?
CURRENT CONDITION OF HOME
If your home and property are in need of repair, spending money on professional landscaping can be very cost effective. A home who’s landscaping is overgrown or non-existent has no curb appeal and the value of the home actually falls. A reasonable amount of money spent on adding attractive plants and cleaning up existing gardens can change the entire look of a home.
When a home is in a neighborhood that can handle a landscaping project that includes the addition of outdoor living areas, attractive walkways and the like, these have a very strong appeal to today’s home buyer. Easy to maintain gardens and landscaping is also very popular and best done by a professional landscaper.
DOLLAR VALUE OF LANDSCAPING
It is important to be reasonable in the amount of money you spend on a landscaping project if you want it to add value to your home. That means not spending $20,000 on landscaping on a home that only warrants a $5,000 landscaping project. It is also important to spend enough to get the job done well and completely when possible.
Professional landscaping when done within the parameters described can actually add anywhere from 10% to 40% to the value of your home. When this is the case, it is most certainly worth the investment. Make sure you secure three estimates for any home improvement project. Check references and make sure you are dealing with an established, reputable company. It is worth the time and effort and will help guarantee positive results.
