Register Real Estate Advisors

As Spring approaches, many homeowners and home sellers want to choose a landscape company to improve their curb appeal. If you need a good reference for a landscaper, call us at RREA and we can provide you the names and numbers of many landscapers that have done work for us and our clients. When choosing a landscape company, below are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Find a company that meets your purpose – is it a drainage issue, planting issue, or maintenance service you need?
2. Get a contract – a contract will help to steer you clear of a miscommunication. It should include a time frame for doing the work and what will be planted.
3. Insurance – does the landscape company have workman’s comp insurance? What about liability insurance? Get the names and numbers and call them before the work begins to confirm coverage.
4. Picture Perfect – Take photos before the landscape work begins, especially those problem areas you expect to be fixed.
Over the past few years I have hired many landscapers to work at my personal residence and I have yet to be completely satisfied with any of the companies. Once I was purchasing palms and the contract stated they would be 3-6 feet tall and they were all under 3 feet. That particular company said that was due to the weather and that’s all they could find – no funds for my shortage. I have had them promise me I will love the plants they choose and I don’t. I have requested only perennial plants and flowers that will last year around, and that never happens. I have had them remove items from my landscape as a mistake and take them back to their shops and never return them back to me even when I remind them many times. That particular company also said they would fill all of my baskets with flowers and they left a few empty and even after many requests they never came back to complete the work. These are all big name Houston Companies that I have used. So honestly, you need to be careful who you choose not only when putting in landscaping, but also outdoor lighting and water features. Now, I go buy my own plants and pick what I like, then I have my current landscaper plant them where I want them. That is where I have had the best luck!!

Trees and shrubs are an investment that grows.  Beautiful seasonal flowers are a smart, and inexpensive was to add color to your yard.  The most important thing to keep in mind, landscaping creates the curb appeal that attracts potential buyers to your home.  Keep it simple, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on landscaping.  Well place trees, shrubs, and flowers adds value.  Have fresh mulch put down, keep your lawn mowed, and edged. All these small things will add value to your home without breaking the bank.  I hope these have been some helpful tips!  When you get ready to sell your home give The Dean Thornton Team a call!

By Lew Sichelman, United Media

Forget wiring your new home for audio, video, and data.  Pass on the upgraded kitchen cabinets.  If you want to add lasting value, opt for landscaping.  Done correctly, the addition of trees, shrubs, plants, walks, lighting and patios can increase the value of your property by 20 percent – almost instantaneously.  Real estate professionals have known this.  A study by Arbor National Mortgage in Uniondale, N.Y., found 84% of the agents quaried believe a house on a treed lot would fetch at least that much more than one on a lot without trees. 

Landscaping practically is an afterthought for most builders.  A growing number are waking up to the fact landscaping pays.  For starters, nicely landscaped houses add curb appeal.  For another, there’s money to be made in landscaping.  There’s no record of how much people spend planting stuff after they move in.  It’s typically the next thing they do after unpacking and hanging curtains or blinds. 

Which begs the question:  How much should you spend?  The Washington, D.C.-based Americn Society of Lanscape Architects (ASLA) suggests “invest” 5 to 10% of your home’s value.  That rule of thumb can be expensive, and the good thing is, you don’t have to do it all at once.