Landscaping dramatically brings up worth of property
Sunday, January 14, 2007 at 07:13PM Increasing property value
Landscaping dramatically brings up worth of property
By Fred Pace
REGISTER-HERALD BUSINESS EDITOR
Susan Lilly, manager of Green River Garden Center & Landscaping in Daniels, says many customers have told her about how landscaping, adding a walkway or patio has dramatically increased the value of their property.
“Landscaping is definitely an investment,” she said. “These stories show the huge impact landscaping can have on property values. Americans are realizing that one of the best ways to increase a home’s resale value is to revamp the landscape.”
Lilly’s conclusion may seem obvious to the experienced professional landscape contractor, but it’s a fact that sometimes gets forgotten or overlooked by property owners, especially those getting ready to sell their property.
“I believe many homeowners don’t understand just how much plants, flowers, shrubs, trees, decks, patios, retaining walls and walkways add to the value of their property,” she said. “They could more than double the money invested in landscaping when they sell the property.”
Numerous studies dating back to the late 1980s conclusively show that landscaping can increase property values.
A Society of Real Estate Appraisers Survey noted that 95 percent of the appraisers responding to the survey believed that landscaping adds to the dollar value of residential real estate. Moreover, 99 percent of them said landscaping enhanced the sales appeal of residential real estate.
“A tremendous opportunity to increase property values exists with landscaping,” Lilly said. “Homeowners hoping to increase the value of their property will do well to consider the cost-effective, high return potential of quality landscaping, and to safeguard their investments by hiring licensed, professional landscape professionals to perform the work.”
Green River Garden Center & Landscaping offers a wholesale and retail garden center, landscape design and installation. They also offer stacked-stone retaining walls, Flagstone patios and walkways.
“We have wide variety of quality products at reasonable prices,” Lilly said.
They carry shrubs, perennial flowers, trees, hanging baskets, and other plant materials.
“We can also help with landscape design and installation,” Lilly said.
The formula — landscaping + property = added value — can also be applied to the business scene, according to Lilly.
“It may not be a primary consideration for business owners, but they do want their buildings to look good,” she said. “Both property owners and tenants are affected by how the business looks. If a building looks good, employees will feel great about coming to work. A landscape that looks ragged and neglected projects a bad image and gives the public the impression that the building’s owner doesn’t care about his property or customers.”
A nice landscape can also attract new business.
“A well designed landscape invites customers to the door,” Lilly said.
She said it also speeds the sale of a building or property by as much as six weeks.
“There are so many benefits for the property owner when there is a nice landscape design,” Lilly said.
Lilly says any way you look at it, now a great time to do landscaping projects.
“The weather is great and the environmental conditions are optimal, so get that landscaping done before the heat and humidity hits,” she said.