Here are my tips for sprucing up your landscaping.
Looking to buy a home? Search All Homes
Looking to sell your home? Get a Free Home Value Report
More and more lately, people with homes up for sale have been asking me what they should do with their landscaping. We’ve had a pretty harsh winter so far, and most of our yard plants aren’t yet looking their best. So what can you do to freshen up the exterior of your home? Here are my tips:
1. Invest in mulch instead of plants right now. Either flip your current mulch or invest in a nice black mulch (which really pops in a yard).
2. Give your plants two to three weeks to come back before you trim. A lot of them are bound to come back soon, especially if they’re planted in the ground. Your old growth will also benefit the new growth of the plant that has been preserved under the ground.
3. Wait until after the first frost to trim. This way, the sap can recede back into the trees, after which time it’s safe to prune them. You can use pruning paint to protect open wounds. Also, be sure to trim your trees away from your house; trees touching your roof sets off red flags in inspection and appraisal reports.
4. Bring potted plants inside when it’s cold. There’s bound to be another freeze coming, so be sure to bring your potted plants inside or cover them. Potted flowers are a great way to add a pop of color to your landscaping, but you will need to protect them until the warmer season.
A second question that I’ve been hearing a lot of lately has to do with taxes, since tax season is coming up and people are concerned about the valuation of their homes. The good news is that you can visit our website and request a home valuation. That will give you a general idea of what homes in your neighborhood are currently on the market for and what they’ve been selling for over the last 12 months. Appraisers will mainly use comparable sales from the last three to four months, but having 12 months’ worth can help bolster your argument if you’re trying to keep your property taxes at a certain amount.
If you have any other questions about real estate, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you.
