Real Estate Advice
Landscaping for Fun and Profit
Dear Pat,
My husband and I just bought our first house, which needs lots of work
inside and out. We don’t expect to live here more than five years, and
naturally we want to use our resources to get the best price when we
sell. My husband wants to start with wall and ceiling repair, but I
want us to work on the yard right away. I say the neighbors have
waited long enough. Can you settle this?
---First Things First |
Dear First,
Your concern for your neighbors is admirable, and you may be rewarded
at the closing table as well as in heaven: I know of no home
improvement with a better return than landscaping. I don't have hard
data to support this, but I have seen that a $1000 landscaping
investment can add perhaps $10,000 to value in just a few years-by
making the home seem "just right" to a prospective buyer. Naturally,
it's important to start planting trees and bushes right away-every
year you wait can make a big difference in how mature and impressive
your yard will look to a buyer.
Start with a top view of the house and yard, and lay out the design of
how you want the yard to look eventually. Now is the time to plan for
a future patio or deck-you'll want to plant complementary shade or
light-filtering trees right away, even if you build the structure
years from now.
Flower gardens add charm and value as well, of course,
but they can be planted later. Trees and shrubs should be planted |
immediately, although the
fastest-growing varieties will not always be your
best choice-nurseries, books, landscape designers
and grateful neighbors can help you make the right
decisions.
So get your husband to put aside the trowel for a
while, First, and hand him a shovel-think of it as
digging for gold. May your backs be strong, and
your ground soft!
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Pat
Rosaves is a full-time real estate
professional living in the Seward -
Longfellow area. She has more than 27
years experience in helping people with
their real estate needs. Questions may be
sent to her at River Realty, 2543 38th
Avenue South, Mpls, MN 55406. Or call her
at 612-724-1314 or email her at
pat@riverrealty.net
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