Investing in a well-landscaped yard for your North Shore suburbs Chicago home creates curb appeal and helps your property retain maximum value when you decide to sell.
A beautiful yard is a head-turner -- no doubt about it. The good news is that even if you can’t tell a tulip from a turnip at the garden center, you can still create eye-catching curb appeal by paying attention to the basics of good landscaping. Ignoring your yard, or doing something that’s out of character with the neighborhood, can jeopardize the value of your home. Poorly maintained landscaping can decrease your property’s worth by as much as 5 or 10% reduction.
Appraisers are quick to praise the allure of a well-tended lawn and good-looking landscaping when it comes time to sell your home, but most do not assign any specific increase in monetary value for upkeep.
Nonetheless, most professionals agree that curb appeal and a well-maintained appearance prevent your property from losing value and help to ensure that an initial exterior viewing will lead to an interior showing as opposed to a cursory drive by. Here are some top suggestions from real estate agents, appraisers, and landscape designers to boost curb appeal and increase buyer interest and intrigue.
Green up the grass
If your house has a front yard, make sure it‘s neat and green. Bare spots, sprawling weeds, or an untrimmed and dried-out appearance discourage desirability.
Fertilizer for DIYers can be found at local Home Depots, garden centers or similar stores and when applied on a regular recommended schedule and watered, this easy maintenance should keep your yard looking green and beautiful.
For yards that look really scruffy, consider investing in some sod for an immediate improvement. According to the National Gardening Association, the average cost of sod is roughly 15 to 35 cents per sq. ft. If installed by a professional landscaper the labor will add 30% to 50% to the total cost of the project.
Another alternative to consider is to plant low-maintenance turf grasses. Turf grasses are durable and drought-resistant. Expect to pay $18 to $30 for enough turf grass seed to plant about 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn area.
Add colorful planting beds
Flower beds add color and help brighten otherwise plain areas, such as along driveways and the edges of walkways. In general, annual flowers are a bit cheaper but must be replaced every year. Perennials cost a bit more but come back annually and usually get larger or spread with each growing season.
If you’re not sure what to plant, inquire at your local garden center. Often, they’ll have a display of bedding plants chosen for their adaptability to your area. Also, they‘ll be inexpensive because they’re in season. Pansies are good in the summer, and asters and mums in the fall add vibrant color.
Add landscape lighting
For homeowners who have made a sizeable investment in landscaping, it makes sense to think about adding another 10% to 15% to the bill for professional lighting. You can’t see landscaping after dark, and buyers are not always looking at houses on a Saturday afternoon.
The cost of a system runs from $200 for a DIY installation to more than $4,000 for a professional job. If you‘re doing it on your own, the key is to light what you want people to see, such as mature trees and flowering shrubs.
Plant a tree
The value of mature trees is particularly difficult to determine. Mature trees contribute as much as 10% of a $100,000 property’s overall value. In addition, a properly placed shade tree can shave dollars from your annual energy bills. Expect to pay $50 to $100 for a young, 6- to 7-foot deciduous or fir tree. Costs will vary based upon the height, trunk diameter and type of tree chosen.
To make your own initial assessment of the value of your property’s trees, visit the National Tree Benefit Calculator. For example, a mature oak tree with a diameter of 36 inches in the front yard of a house in Chicago’s North Shore, North or Northwest suburbs would add roughly $70 to the property value this year, according to the calculator.
For additional personalized suggestions regarding landscaping or lawn care improvements that should enhance the value of your property should you decide to sell and improve your curb appeal while garnering attentive interest from prospective buyers, feel free to contact me. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have, help you to find a new home or determine the value of your existing property.
Allyson Hoffman, ABR, ACRE, CDPE, CRS, e-PRO, GRI, SFR, SRES
RE/MAX Villager
Serving Chicago's North Shore, North and Northwest Suburbs
847-310-5300
[email protected]
Get your latest Home Value
Receive Your Personalized Listing Alerts
Let’s Connect, Socially!
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Google +1
YouTube
Allyson Hoffman is your ultimate real estate resource for Chicago's North Shore, North and Northwest Suburbs and surrounding areas. Visit my website for detailed information regarding today’s real estate markets