landscaping « AllPropertyManagement.com

Posts Tagged ‘landscaping’

Buyers Often Look For A Neat & Well Maintained Landscape When Looking For A New Home

September 8th, 2010

One of the most important aspects of a home that potential buyers examine is landscaping and curb appeal. A neat and well-manicured appearance can gather extra looks and showings, just from the quality of the landscaping. Prospective buyers will generally perform a ?drive by? before deciding to make a formal appointment the view the house. This fact only underscores the importance that the yard and landscape look great from all sides of the house. Plus, a great and well-kept yard can actually add some value to the property as well. Therefore it makes perfect sense to examine the property from the street or curb to inspect and scrutinize the view.

While homeowners can grow accustomed to imperfections over the years of ownership, buyers generally want everything pristine. Mold and mildew should be removed from sidewalks and retaining walls, flowerbeds should be neatly planted, trees should be cut back, and shrubs should be well trimmed. Any overgrowth of vegetation should be taken care, that means grass should be kept at a respectable level. The back of the house and sides of the house need to be as well kept as the front. While they likely do not need to be visually astounding, buyers like a neat and orderly appearance free of eyesores and potential hard work. While some owners go the extra step and hire a consultant to answer any landscaping related questions, many homeowners are well equipped to handle the task on their own.

A quality landscape compliments the house. The gentle curves and slopes of the planting beds often enhance the visual lines that are present in the house. One area that has recently crept into popularity among buyers is nighttime curb appeal. The arrival of affordable low voltage lighting and solar powered lighting has allowed landscapes to come alive with light during darkness. While some properties handle dramatic lighting effects better than others, a well lighted sidewalk and a few lights around the property are usually enough to create some terrific visual effects. The landscape is the first thing potential buyers see when arriving at the property, and it really does set the tone for rest of the visit.

Landscaping – What to Look For When Buying a Home

June 21st, 2010

photo credit: RO/LU

If you are going to be purchasing a home in the near future and are looking to get the most out of your dollar, then check out the things you need to look for in the landscape of a home prior to purchase.

The first thing you want to do when looking at the landscape of a home is determine the square footage. The size of a landscape is a large factor into possible expansion of the home later on, or developing the land into a productive garden or flower bed. After checking out the square footage you next need to evaluate the soil type. A landscape with a fertile lawn and fresh growing vegetation is a definite plus to a homes total value. In the case you are looking at a home with a deadened landscape, there is no need to panic as you can transfer the lack of equity that the dead landscape provides into cash you can use to replace the land with fresh sod and vegetative life.

Once you have evaluated the size and outlining soil type and condition of the landscape you need to map out areas that could be expanded upon. Check with local utility companies to get a clear reference on underground power and gas lines that may impede any kind of expansion of the home and lawn. You also need to check with the previous owner to pin point the septic tank and any kind of underground items that would also impede expansion.

After a good look has been taken at the landscape and an evaluation of expansion has been done you can check into cost to change the landscape to any of your needs. If you are looking to add in a garden of some sort, or a tree or two in the front lawn, it is important to evaluate the cost of this before making an offer on the home to help secure your pocketbook when comparing other houses.

Overall if you are looking to purchase a new home in the near future, check out how a landscape evaluation can benefit you.

Landscaping Makeover Ideas to Update your Home

May 27th, 2010

photo credit: taberandrew

When it comes to your home, first impressions are lasting. That means your landscaping should be a top priority. One of the first things you should do that won’t cost a dime is to prune for weeds. This can give your lawn an instant makeover. No matter how nice your home looks on the inside, if it’s full of dandelions in the lawn, it will detract for the overall impression. It gives off the vibe of a lazy homeowner, whether that is true or not. Take time to do this right and you’ll get needed exercise in the process. You’ll then want to make sure you purchase some beautiful flowers and shrubs that compliment the architecture of your home. Make sure to do a bit of research and find out what type of environment (e.g. shade, sun, etc.) is needed to allow your flora to thrive.

Next you should try to decide what color goes well with the outside of your home. For instance if you have a gray exterior, a dark red or burgundy might be a nice compliment. Try something on a small scale like mulch. There is now mulch in every color and it’s a great way to makeover your lawn without a major investment. Put the mulch around any shrubbery or flower beds you have outside. You should then make sure the lawn is cut. Nothing makes the outside of your home look as manicured as a freshly cut lawn. Take the time to cut the lawn on the diagonal instead of straight lines and it will give your home a professionally manicured look. This technique alone can provide a great makeover to most landscapes. If you have a nice backyard, don’t neglect purchases new lawn furniture while it’s on sale. A makeover should definitely include the furniture on your patio or deck. If you have furniture that is rusted or broken it will be a major turn off.

Lastly don’t forget that another free makeover tip is to simply make sure all the windows on your home are clean and shining. Simply use the water hose to get off dirt and grime and wipe the windows down with paper towels or newspaper that won’t streak. Taking advantage of these few tips can makeover your home with little cost and just a bit of time.

Property Managers Tackle a Drought

March 13th, 2008

credit: Mr WabuDroughts in the Southeast have forced property managers to rethink the water consumption of their buildings and to hold individual tenants accountable. Many are having individual water meters installed on their units so they can see who the worst offenders are. If there is an obvious abuse tenants are confronted and quite possibly this could be seen as an eventual reason to evict.

Other property managers are looking for ways to conserve water wherever possible and many are asking for tenant cooperation. Rain water is sometimes collected for landscaping, pools are drained and closed for the season, fountains have run dry.

Some property managers are still trying to keep their curb appeal intact and have adopted a new desert-style landscaping concept. They’ve replaced water-thirsty grass with rock beds and turned to desert shrubs and greenery to provide a healthy living atmosphere. The southeast’s drought is considered so severe that some experts predict that the area could run out of water in a decade or two. More short term predictions see developments being halted as government worries about the effect on the landscape and environment.