Having finished a pleasant Oklahoma afternoon and early evening of working in my garden and yard I decided to watch TV. Have you ever noticed how many TV shows there are telling you how to increase the value of your home, make your home more desirable once placed on the market for sale? They advocate kitchen tear outs, master bath makeovers, and yes even just a fresh coat of paint. All of this started me thinking about my neighborhood and the landscaping around my home. What is the real value of my investment and does it provide as much of a return as the various makeovers one can do inside their home?
Let me tell you, this Red Dirt Gardener lives in a neighborhood fortunate enough to have brick and stone structures at the entrances to our neighborhood which could provide a wonderful backdrop for carefully planted and cared for Oklahoma trees, shrubs and flowers. As you drive through my neighborhood, you will find pockets of homes where the owners have invested varying amounts of time and money to their homes landscaping. We have all heard how landscaping which has been tastefully done and maintained adds tremendous eye appeal to your home. However, does this investment have the same effect on increasing your homes value just like a kitchen remodel does?
• A recent Gallup Organization poll indicated that new home buyers and buyers of previously owned homes believe that landscaping adds nearly 15 percent, on average, to a home’s value or selling price.
• Real estate appraisers however, rate the value of residential-property landscaping at 7.28 percent and commercial-property landscaping at 6 percent. • The April 2006 issue of Money magazine reported: “Landscaping improvement has a recovery value of 100 percent to 200 percent if it is well done and harmonizes with nearby plantings. This compares to a recovery value of a kitchen overhaul of 75 percent to 125 percent;
a bathroom [renovation], 80 percent to 120 percent; a new deck or patio, 40 percent to 70 percent; and a swimming pool, 20 percent to 50 percent.”
• There is a direct correlation between the price paid for a home and the influence of landscaping in the buying decision. Buyers of higher-priced homes are more influenced by landscaping.
All of this said….now imagine the appeal of your neighborhood if you association were to tastefully landscape and maintain your entrances? That would be what I would call a 2 times kicker!
Don’t forget to feed and put out water for the birds.
The “Original” Red Dirt Gardener