Landscaping can make a difference in selling your home. Many homeowners focus too much on improving their interiors and overlook the fact that it is their front yard that creates the essential first impression.
A well-landscaped lawn can make the difference in a potential buyer’s decision to step inside your home or not. It implies to the buyer that the homeowner cares for his or her home and that the interiors would most likely be clean and well-maintained too. Great landscaping can add as much as 5-11% to your home’s market value!If you are planning on landscaping to improve your property, come up with a list of things that need to be done then start on the project right away. If you are going to sell your home, the best time to do landscaping is at least a month before you put the home up for sale. Remember, plants and flowers take time to grow, so do your landscaping well in advance.
The most common landscaping tasks a homeowner might need to add on their to-do list are:
· Rake and mow the lawn
· Weed the garden
· Plant ornamental flowers, shrubs
· Trim the bushes and tree limbs
· Wash and repaint the patio or deck
· Remove mildew or mold around the exterior of the home
For the clueless first-timers, here are a few tips on landscaping to help your home sell faster:
1. Use Container Plants. Container plants add considerable interest to patios and doorways where people pass by the most. Since container plants are easy to move around, the design possibilities are endless.
2. Retouch the mulch. A fresh layer of mulch can do a lot in sprucing up your garden beds. It enhances the contrast of the plants surrounding it, making the colors pop out. Mulch is also very cheap and easy to apply. Try bark- it comes in a variety of sizes and colors.
3. Play with colors. That means, invest more on the flowering plants. They say yellow catches the eye and will lead potential buyers straight to your door. Playing with a variety of colors can make a more interesting and appealing garden.4. Cut and trim shrubs and tree limbs. Nothing says neglect like a tree full of dead branches. Put your pruning skills to use all year round and make sure to trim your shrubs and trees regularly, not just when you are about to sell your home.
5. Add outdoor lighting. Outdoor lighting adds drama to the home, makes it more visible at night (for potential buyers who might drive through after sunset), and extends the home’s space after dark. It creates images of cozy family get-togethers, outdoor barbecues, and evening parties in the minds of would-be buyers. Use low voltage lighting to save up on electricity costs. You can hire a professional to help with the lighting design and installation. Many times local gardeners are able and willing to do this type of work if you are on a budget.
Proper landscaping will definitely make a big impact on your potential buyers. It is the key in determining whether they would want to go ahead and step inside your home or not. Remember, a well landscaped home lures in potential buyers while a poorly maintained yard turns them off.
For information on preparing your house for sale or buying or selling property in Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz, and surrounding areas, contact me directly at 213-215-4758 or check out LApropertySolutions.com
Broker Associate, HAFA certified, E-pro
Keller Williams Realty, Los Feliz
213-215-4758
info@LApropertySolutions.com
http://www.LApropertySolutions.com
Copyright © 2010 By Jenny Durling *All Rights Reserved *Landscaping Can Make a Difference*
What is the importance of having a home inspection? If you are a homebuyer, buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will be making so you have to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth. You need to know as much as you can about the home, whether newly constructed or an existing one, before paying for it. A home inspection could save you from buying a structurally unsound or defective home by identifying areas in need of repairs as well as maintenance requirements to keep the home in top shape. Only after a thorough home inspection could you make a well-informed and final decision on whether to buy the home or not.
some elements that might be overlooked by the untrained. It would be in your best interest to hire an expert or professional home inspector who is already familiar and experienced in the elements of proper home construction and maintenance. They will be able to give you unbiased suggestions on how to improve and maintain your home.
There is no such thing as a failed home inspection. A professional home inspection is only an objective visual examination of the present physical condition of a house. It should not be confused with a home appraisal which determines the market value of a home. A home inspector’s job is not to pass or fail a home, but only to give an objective description of its physical condition and from there, give suggestions on areas for repair or improvement or what items need maintenance or replacement.
How do you deal with mold in your home? Is it really a problem? When most people think of threats and health hazards in the home, the last thing they think about is mold. Some people, on the other hand, are terrified by mold.
This includes areas that are moist and humid such as basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and in walls moistened by leaky pipes. Mold could also grow on paper products, wood products, ceiling tiles, fabrics, and carpets. Always check these areas if they are moist or damp. Keeping surfaces clean and dry is the best way to prevent mold. It is advisable that bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms have proper ventilation or if not, have an exhaust fan to vent the air outside since washing, cooking, and bathing can put moisture into the air. Attics and basements also need to be properly vented.
While you cannot totally eradicate mold spores from your home, regular cleaning, especially in areas with high humidity and moisture, will greatly lessen mold problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you only deal with mold if the moldy area is less than 10 square feet. For larger affected areas, you may want to hire a professional mold removal contractor. Make sure that the people you hire are professionals. If the mold contamination is in heating ducts or other household systems, professional help is also required. When dealing with mold, avoid breathing in mold and mold spores. Use breathing masks, protective eye wear and gloves. Respirators are available in the hardware store for only $12-$25. While cleaning a room with molds, make sure to keep the area ventilated, open the windows or exhaust fans.
Exposure to mold may lead to serious health risks – the most common is allergic reactions. Symptoms may include sneezing, runny nose, itchiness in the eyes, and skin rashes. Molds may also trigger asthma attacks in asthmatics. Other illnesses associated with mold, though not yet proven, are: headaches, dizziness, memory loss, cancer, and pulmonary hemorrhage.
