"Framing your house with a picture-perfect
yard might be worth more than just a thousand words. A
manicured lawn, stately trees and an impeccably kept flower
garden could translate into a quicker sale and a better price
when you're ready to put your house on the market. Studies
have shown that attractive landscaping increases the value of
a home, and that has been even more true in the past few years
as the housing market continued to boom despite the soft economy.
Bob Fitch, executive director of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape
Association in St. Paul, said the association's members have
seen an upturn in business in the past five years, not only
at the retail level, but also with landscape designers and installers.
Consumers are more careful about getting bids and holding down
costs on landscaping projects, Fitch said. But with more people
staying home and spending less on travel because of war, terrorism
threats and financial struggles, many consumers are spending
their discretionary dollars to sculpt outdoor areas for entertaining.
That desire for attractive outdoor features carries over to home
buyers as well. From the simplest container gardens to extensive
water features, landscaping has become an important selling point
for many homes. Curb appeal can turn lookers into buyers, and
heighten the anticipation of what's behind the home's closed doors.
First impressions
That first impression is important, said appraiser Eric Flom,
not only to entice potential buyers but to create a positive
attitude about the house in the minds of appraisers and Realtors.
Flom, who appraises homes in Ramsey, Hennepin, Washington and
Dakota counties for Town & Country Appraisal Network in
Roseville, said the money homeowners spend on landscaping is
a good investment. When lots are attractive and well cared-for,
it sends a message about the care of the house inside as well.
Appraisers do take landscaping into account when comparing a
home to similar properties. According to the Council of Tree
and Landscape Appraisers, a mature tree often can have an appraised
value of $1,000 to $10,000. Flom, who has been in the appraisal
business for more than 20 years, said landscaping has become
even more important in the past few years. Buyers are more informed
and have higher expectations, he said -- even for entry-level
homes -- those in a price range from $100,000 to $225,000.
A nice lawn with some trees and flowers can help push a price
into the higher end of its range and move the house faster,
Flom said.
A distinctive landscape is an even stronger selling point for
townhouses and other high-density developments, according to Gary
Zumberge, owner of CVS Home Appraisals in Edina. It's less expected
in those projects and shows the owner took some extra care, he
said. Curb appeal can really help sell a home, said Realtor Linda
Kuhnley of Edina Realty. She said the neary every home she lists
on the Internet includes photos of the front and back yards.
Landscaping recently helped push the sale of a home in Bloomington
that was listed at $1.2 million. She said the landscaping in the
front and back of the house were key to this properties quick
sell. The home's curb appeal enticed a lot of potential buyers
inside, she said. The home sold for close to the list price. Kuhnley
said she there is is a comparable property in the area, which
is not as nicely landscaped, and is for sale. Zumberge said landscaping
helps no matter where the property is located, in the city or
in the suburbs. It's all about meeting the expectations of the
potential buyer, he said, whether the property is selling for
$55,000 or $550,000. Aesthetics isn't the only reason to landscape
a lot. Trees can cut energy costs, fight air and noise pollution
and help prevent erosion and storm-water damage. According to
the American Forest Industry Association, one tree in the city
can provide savings of up to $273 a year in air-conditioning costs.
Foundation plantings also can help reduce energy costs by shielding
the house from the elements, and native plantings reduce the amount
of grass that needs mowing.
High recovery value
Landscaping isn't cheap, but a well-executed design can cut maintenance
costs. Creativity, using a mix of perennials, annuals and other
elements outside standard landscaping formulas can add more dollars
to the price of a house, too, said Fitch, who oversees a trade
association that includes more than 1,000 nurseries, garden centers,
landscape designers and contractors and landscape management professionals.
Among landscape projects that can add 4 to 5 percent to the selling
price of an average home ($250,000 and less) are trees, rock walls
and gardens, native plantings, such as grasses, and woodland flowers
and perennials, according to a 2001 survey for the National Association
of Realtors. The percentage can grow to as much as 15 percent
for high-end estates, where sprinkler and lighting systems and
other such amenities are expected. In addition, a good design
can bring a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent of the project's
cost at selling time, according to Money magazine.
The recovery rate for landscaping
is higher than that of kitchen and bathroom remodeling, the
magazine said, but added that it's important to get good advice
before undertaking a major project. A yard clean-up and landscaping
job can cost an average of $470, but might add about four times
that sum to the eventual sales price, according to a recent
HomeGain survey of 2,000 real estate agents. With a yardful
of flowers, manicured grass, trees and shrubs, maintenance becomes
an issue for potential buyers, so sellers looking to boost the
value of their property might want to concentrate on elements
that don't require too much work. For some cash-or time-strapped
sellers, putting out a few containers of flowers at the door
might be all they can muster. That inexpensive addition can't
hurt, especially if the goal is selling your home quickly. Framing
the entryway of the home might be all it takes to achieve the
ultimate goal of selling, said Doug Anderson, an agent with
Edina Realty: You want to entice the buyer to go inside."
Cyndi Younger Nightengale is at cnightengale@startribune.com.
