Contra Costa Times 02/08/2014
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014
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Advertising Supplement
111
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BAY AREA NEWS GROUP
CR19
Curb Appeal: Budget and earth friendly ideas to give your home the ‘WOW’ factor By Carole Lucido CORRESPONDENT
Will Rodgers said, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” That’s never been more true than when selling your home. According to Gary Wuestenberg, broker/owner of Wuestenberg & Associates Real Estate in Martinez, “curb appeal is critical. It can make people think your home is worth more money.” “If your home has a dead lawn, peeling paint and an old car in the driveway it will probably take longer to sell than a home with fresh paint, clean trim and a yard that looks inviting.” “And that’s a shame because cleaning up the outside and paying attention to the landscaping can be done pretty inexpensively,” he said. Wuestenberg, a Certified Residential Specialist and Certified Distressed Property Expert, recommends focusing on the entry. “An inviting front door can make the house stand out,” he said. Still, he advises his clients to spend most of their budget on inside repairs and upgrades. For the outside, he encourages sellers to hire a gardener or spend their own sweat equity on the project. When asked for tips to spruce up curb appeal, the first suggestion Debbie Arnold, president of the Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club made was to reduce or even
eliminate the lawn.“ Large lawns come at a high price in terms of time, money, water and how they affect the ecosystem,” she said. And of course, California’s drought certainly comes to mind. This winter’s lack of rain and snow in the Sierra, mean that all Californians will be asked to save water through the spring and summer months and maybe beyond. According to the Association of California Water Agencies, reducing the water used outside the home on landscaping and maintenance can make an even bigger difference than saving water inside. On its website, saveourh2o.com, it estimates that more than 50 percent of residential water use occurs outdoors. There are many things homeowners can do to create interest and curb appeal without a big lawn. Arnold suggests using succulents and companion plants to create interest through color and texture. She recommends designing a focal point in your yard using large moss rocks and arranging plants among them. A decorative gravel path and groupings of plants in containers will modernize the look of a home while addressing prospective buyers’ concern over future water expenses. Because many buyers like the look of a green lawn, Wuestenberg suggests reducing the size of the lawn rather than eliminating it all together. “It can be expensive to take out a lawn.
An inviting front door can make the house stand out.
Instead consider problem spots where grass doesn’t grow well or is difficult to mow. Think about updating those areas,” he said. Arnold said that drought tolerant plants that do well in the area include Australian and South African plant varieties such as kangaroo paw, statice, a dry-flower plant with purple flowers, succulents such as escheverias or sempervivum hen and chicks, herbs such as rosemary, and thyme, the ground cover dymondia, or fig trees. She also suggests agaves and decorative grasses like blue fescue. “You could do a color-based theme,” she suggested, “and include blue grasses and blue agave.” Succulents and cactus, or plants that store water in their leaves, stems or roots are an excellent choice for a drought tolerant garden, “but consider your micro-
climate,” she cautioned. “In some low lying areas they may freeze.” To spruce up your yard for spring, Arnold suggested broadcasting California poppy seeds throughout your yard. Resilient varieties offer the advantage of reseeding themselves in our climate. Colors range from red, orange, yellow, white, and even pink. “Be sure to top everything off with a thick layer of mulch,” she added. “A layer 3 inches thick will retain both water and nutrients.” Drought tolerant plants will be the focus of the Pleasant Hill Garden Club’s annual plant sale on May 10 at the corner of Pleasant Hill Road and Taylor Boulevard. Now in its 44th year, always on the weekend before Mother’s Day, the annual sale features plants that have been propagated
by Club members right here in Contra Costa County. This year the Garden Club will have a large selection of succulents, some dish gardens (suitable for Mother’s Day gifts), vegetables (especially tomatoes), herbs, and a variety of other plants well suited for the climate. It’s also a great place to get expert plant and gardening advice from Club members. Established in 1948, the PHGSC has approximately 200 members and includes 18 master gardeners. Meetings take place on the first Tuesday of the month at the Pleasant Hill Community Center. For more information, visit www.phgsc.com. To contact Gary Wuestenberg at Wuestenberg & Associates Real Estate, call him at 925.370.7355 or visit http:// gwsellshomes.listingbook.com.
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