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LAWN AND LANDSCAPE UPGRADES THAT INCREASE PROPERTY VALUE

Some landscaping helps home value, and some doesn't. According to a 2018 report by the National Association of Realtors, lawn care services return 267 percent of the investment. Landscape maintenance and tree care are a break-even proposition, returning 100 percent of the investment. On the other hand, a new pool is far underwater when it comes to return on investment. According to NAR, a new pool recovers just 43 percent of the average $57,500 cost of installation. So when you have a limited budget for improving your exterior, what gives the most bang for your buck? Daniel Ray of LawnStarter.com suggest the following upgrades for the best landscaping ROI:

1 A WELL-MAINTAINED LAWN

THAT’S THE NO. 1 LANDSCAPING ITEM, YIELDING THE MOST MONEY ON THE INVESTMENT.

2 TIDY GARDEN

REMOVE PERENNIAL WEEDS. FOR SOME BUYERS, THEY’RE A RED FLAG ISSUE THAT SIGNALS PROBLEMS.

4 LANDSCAPED PATHWAY

REPAIR CRACKS THAT WILL SPOIL THE FIRST IMPRESSION. TRY DESIGNING A PATHWAY THAT WILL CREATE ANTICIPATION. IDEALLY, HAVE IT WINDING WITH PLANTS OR A SMALL HEDGE ON EACH SIDE.

3 SHRUBS AND TREES

ALMOST ANYTHING YOU BUY FALLS IN VALUE. TREES ARE AN EXCEPTION. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A TREE THAT ALREADY HAS SOME SIZE, BUT STILL FITS IN THE BACK OF A TRUCK, GO FOR A 15-GALLON POT. IT WILL HOLD A TREE ABOUT 8 FEET TALL, FOR A REASONABLE PRICE — $50-$150, DEPENDING ON THE VARIETY.

5 LIGHTING

OUTDOOR LIGHTING OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE LIMITS OF ANY HOMEOWNER’S BUDGET, AND BUYERS APPRECIATE THE LAYER OF SECURITY.

6 OUTDOOR KITCHEN

ONE OF THE TRENDIEST ITEMS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE — A PERMANENT, BUILT-IN DECK FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND COOKING. IN EFFECT, IT INCREASES THE USABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE HOUSE. IT RETURNS AN ESTIMATED 83 PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT SPENT.

7 FRESH MULCH

NEED SOMETHING THAT WILL TURN A DULL YARD FRESH, ECONOMICALLY, AND QUICKLY? GO MULCH.

8 AUTOMATED IRRIGATION

EXPECT TO PAY AT LEAST $3,000 FOR A FULLY AUTOMATED IRRIGATION SYSTEM, BUT BUYERS WILL LOVE IT.

WHAT HURTS MORE THAN HELPS?

According to Daniel Ray of LawnStarter.com, avoid these lawn and landscape features to retain the best property value.

ARTIFICIAL GRASS

ALTHOUGH IT OFFERS THE ULTIMATE IN LOW MAINTENANCE, IT FRIGHTENS OFF POTENTIAL BUYERS WITH CHILDREN WHO WANT AN AREA TO PLAY.

BROKEN FENCE PANELS, CRACKED WALLS

RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT BROKEN FENCE PANELS OR CRACKED WALLS CAN REMOVE $1,000 FROM THE VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE.

OUTDOOR WATER FEATURES

LARGE WATER FEATURES COULD PULL DOWN YOUR PROPERTY VALUE BY $2,500-$10,000, DEPENDING ON THE SIZE AND HOW THEY ARE “PLUMBED” INTO THE GARDEN. WHILE THEY ARE GREAT FOR ATTRACTING BEES, BIRDS, AND BUTTERFLIES, SOME BUYERS SEE WATER FEATURES AS MORE WORK TO MAINTAIN.

UNKEMPT GARDEN

AN UNTENDED GARDEN THAT HASN’T BEEN GIVEN ANY TLC COULD KNOCK 1 TO 2% OFF YOUR ASKING PRICE. AND GO BIG: ACCORDING TO AN VIRGINIA EXTENSION SURVEY, A BIG AND SHOWY GARDEN HAS THE MOST RETURN, WHILE PUTTING IN A COUPLE OF SCRAWNY PLANTS ACTUALLY HURTS HOME VALUE.

SWIMMING POOLS, HOT TUBS

NO MATTER HOW MANY GREAT SUMMER DAYS YOU SPEND AROUND A POOL, MANY BUYERS SEE ONLY MAINTENANCE HEADACHES, ADDITIONAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS, AND CONSTANT WORRY ABOUT SAFETY. OVERALL, THE RETURN ON POOLS IS ALSO QUITE LOW AT 43%.

ASK MATT

QUESTION: What is a gabion landscape wall?

ANSWER: A gabion wall uses a wire cage filled with rocks piled on top of one another. The size and weight of the stones can require a different thickness of wire mesh. Gabion walls have a simple design that lends to speedy construction, flexibility to tolerate movement, easy handling and transportation of materials, and water permeability for good drainage. Gabion walls can present an easy-tobuild method to protect slopes from erosion.

QUESTION: How does a ground screw work for outdoor applications?

ANSWER: A “ground screw" is a simple ground-level anchoring solution that can be installed quickly in a wide range of soil conditions using a number of lowspeed, high-torque drivers. Some of the simplest models are designed to provide an anchor bracket for a 4x4 post. Depending on the design of the screw, soil conditions, and nature of the application, some metal ground screws can be installed by a DIY’er with a simple winding bar included with the screw. Easy to remove and relocate, the concrete-free ground screws can provide a handy method for one-day installation of mailboxes, deck posts, fences, solar panels and foundations of all types.

Got a question for Matt? Visit Matt’s blog at HIRpub.com/news.

NEWSWIRE

HOUSING ECONOMICS AT A GLANCE

Times have been tough during the pandemic and the associated lock-downs. Nobody will claim the economy is in good shape, but we can find some silver linings in the home remodeling and construction sectors. According to economic research from July released by The Top Agency: “As Americans stayed home for most of the spring months, many took it upon themselves to start their own homerenovation projects rather than hiring outside contractors.” Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Data has found as much as a 41% increase in traffic at homeimprovement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s compared to the same months in 2019. Sales remain above average for this same time last year.

Although home builders were at first side-lined during the lock-downs, the market’s pent-up demand bodes well for a quick recovery. As Kiplinger reported in July: “Residential construction rose in June amid strong demand for new homes. Housing starts rose 17.3% to an annualized pace of 1.186 million units in June, following double-digit declines in March and April. The increase in June, plus upward revisions to May data, suggests that starts are making up some of the pandemic losses ... Single-family starts rose 17.2% in May, while multi-family starts rose 17.5%. A gain of 2.1% in building permits indicates that residential construction will pick up in coming months, particularly for single-family homes.” H