Curb Appeal…Do you have it? Do you want it?
Much like a new person you may meet, the landscape will give someone pause or move them down the road. How does one achieve a reason for people to linger? The value of your home can be up to 28% higher and be on the market 10-15% less time due to the landscape.
I believe the key is for a person to connect with the property emotionally. Give them something to connect with:
• Well placed specimen palms and/or trees
• A well-manicured lawn
• Seasonal and/or perennial flowers
• Flowering trees and shrubs
• An outdoor kitchen and dining area
• Fire pits and water features
• Landscape lighting
• Patios and pergolas
• Bocce ball/corn hole courts
• Artificial turf putting greens and pet lawns
• Many more….
More people than ever are viewing potential dwellings online before stepping foot on the ground. The pictures of the created landscape can draw the needed attention or keep the potential buyer scrolling. Whatever your choices are, you want to create a visual and emotional connection for a potential buyer or visitor. Even more importantly however, for most of us, is how the space is used by us first. If I don’t use and enjoy the created space, that’s a pretty good indicator that the next person will follow suit. So how does one achieve the desired results? In my experience you should start with the fact that your landscape design should complement the architecture of your home. The feeling invoked by the visual impact of what has been created can send a visitor or potential buyer into overdrive. What is the landscape telling the world about its owners and do I want it? Create excitement in your landscape with one (or more) of the categories above. Add flowering shrubs for interest or simply use foliage textures and colors to invoke a level of sophistication. Whatever you choose, put yourself into it by creating a unique and diverse picture that complements what you are attempting to say about yourself and your property. An experienced landscape designer (or landscape architect) can guide you through the necessary steps to achieve the vision and create a budget and plan to implement.
One common mistake that many homeowners/landscape designers make is underestimating the level of care required for a specific landscape. If proper care is not employed or able to be given by the owner, then a complicated landscape will quickly lose its value. Do not fall into this category. A great landscape design with maximum curb appeal will be relatively simple in its approach and ongoing care. Ask questions and hire someone recommended to you. This approach will provide the best chance for the desired results.
Don’t miss the visual opportunity that almost every property has that is so often missed. Look around and find what is special (or what could be) about your property. Yes, a waterfront property makes this obvious, but most homeowners don’t see beyond the homes interior and fail to maximize the scenic views just outside their windows. A forest view can also be just as enticing to many people as a water view. Ultimately people enter a space and feel something. We are spiritual creatures. Work with your Landscape designer to this end.
Yes, I do believe we all want curb appeal (even in our landscapes). Seek it and find it and your life and your finances will reflect your efforts.
Steve R. Black
Practicing Agronomist and Landscape Design
along the Gulf Coast for 36 years