There are a lot of misconceptions regarding the manner in which landscaping affects the property value of a home. Citing the value of enhanced curb appeal, many real estate agents will recommend making a big investment in landscaping and often mention that the best way to enhance the perceived value of the home is to add a variety of landscaped areas throughout the property.
Others note that prospective homeowners actually want the opposite, as several landscaped areas will require more time and effort to maintain than a minimally landscaped area. While opinions tend to differ, the Ian Leaf Corporation has offered some insight into enhancing the value of the property with both types of prospective homeowners in mind.
In order to enhance the value of a property through landscaping, the best strategy is to combine elements of both desired outcomes. Some prospective homeowners associate many landscaped areas with enhanced value while others associate it with work, so how can landscaping possibly be used to meet the needs of both? The answer lies in the type of landscaping that is employed.
This strategy will feature many different landscaped areas that require very little upkeep on the part of the homeowner. Using drought-tolerant plants and local shrubs and trees, the landscaped areas do not need much in the way of watering, fertilizing or pest control. Since they are native to the area in which they are planted they are adapted to the soil conditions and the amount of precipitation, ensuring that they continue to thrive without much intervention at all.
The mistake that some homeowners make is in choosing plants that need a great deal of attention to thrive. This is the case with some of the flowers most often associated with beautiful blooms like roses or hibiscus, as both require a great deal of care, attention and expertise. Caring for these plants can be an incredibly frustrating experience for someone who is not familiar with gardening and even experienced gardeners struggle with rose bushes on occasion.
When preparing a home for sale, landscaping can indeed be used to improve the value of the property but only if low-maintenance plantings are used. These plants will appeal to those who do not want to spend every weekend working in the garden as well as those who want nothing more than to spend every morning digging in the dirt to add new plants to care for on a daily basis.
