Are you selling your home? This article from Realtor.com describes the importance and value of Curb Appeal.  Please see my notes within the article as to how we can work together to improve the selling price and intrinsic appeal of the exterior of your home. 

Get Curb Appeal Landscaping When Selling a Home

Increase the price of the sale by 4 to 5 percent with good curb appeal

By Cina Coren

Keeping your yard and landscape maintained is one of the most important things you can do when selling your home. Studies have shown that curb appeal can increase the value of a home by 4 to 5 percent. Homes with poor curb appeal in neighborhoods with excellent landscaping sold for 8 to 10 percent less than the market rate. First impressions count not only for buyers but for appraisers and real estate agents as well. Take care of your lawn and invest in some quality landscaping to make your property eye-catching to those passing by. A well-maintained lawn will help bring in offers for your house.

Christine- A well kept exterior is the first indication of a well maintained home.  Some small changes can make a big difference.

Start your garden with a layout

Before setting out on your landscaping journey, you must have a design plan. A layout that ends up looking poorly planned can result in your losing the sale. Why waste the time and energy to work on a badly designed layout?

Christine- With the design software that I use, you will be able to see the impact of the changes that I recommend.  I will provide renderings and a budget for you and can even manage the project if you prefer.

Stick to your budget

Work with a budget. Decide just how much you have to spend, because it's easy to get overly enthusiastic. Once you have mapped out your yard, you can determine if it is worth involving a professional, at least to review your design.

Christine- It is important that you make the changes that will yield the greatest return on your expenditures.  The goal is to increase the NET proceeds from the sale of your home.

Imagine how it will look

Before you do the actual planting, lay your plants out in their prospective places so you can see the finished picture. Be sure you leave enough room between the plants even if your garden is small. It's better to have room enough for them to grow than to have to weed them out when they mature.

Christine- With the software, we can demonstrate how each plant will grow when properly maintained

Clean it up before putting the house up for sale

If you already have a garden, you must spruce it up before putting your home on the market. There are several things that you can do to keep your yard clean and maintained. Make sure the grass is cut, edged and trimmed on a regular basis. If you can't do this, hire a professional, it's worth the cost. Clean all the beds by trimming the shrubs and eliminating weeds. Prune your trees. It is amazing what a difference pruned trees can make in the appearance of your home. Replace any dead plants like shrubs, trees or even grass. This is a sign to buyers that everything is being maintained properly.

A few hours with a professional can make a huge difference and be very cost effective.

Add some color

Adding a splash of color is another simple way to make your home inviting and attractive for potential buyers. Flowers are a good way to say "welcome, come on in." If you decide to plant flower beds, focus on areas like the corners of sidewalks, the bottom of porch steps or around your mailbox. Another great way to add color to your home is to add window flower boxes to a few windows on the front of your house. This inexpensive touch will go a long way to add warmth and charm to your home. If you have a deck or patio, adding large urns with annual flowers planted in them gives the impression of an outdoor room.

Christine- Flower Beds, window boxes and urns are my specialty.  Please ask to see some examples.

Add usefulness

If you are going to add major landscaping pieces to your home make sure they are useful to a new homeowner. Avoid installing things like waterfalls and ponds. Instead, consider putting in an irrigation system, patio, fence, deck, or seating area. Potential homeowners can envision themselves using these things and enjoying them for years to come.

Christine- Avoid expensive upgrades that are a matter of personal taste.  Keep it simple to get the best return on your expenditure.