White County
 Gardening
Podcast
April 28, 2008
Increase You Home's Value (2:45 minutes)
Audio/Video Script:
Sherri Sanders
County Extension Agent - Agriculture
Hello this is Sherri Sanders, County Extension Agent in White county. A well
designed landscaping is not only attractive; it also makes a house and property
worth more. Beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder, and is a definite
factor in determining the market value of a home. Very often it's the aesthetic
touches that make the sale. In the eye appeal of a home, landscaping plays a
vital role.
According to a recent poll, buyers of new or previously owned homes believe
that attractive landscaping adds nearly 15 percent to the value of their
property. A compatible view is held by many realtors. Many developers are now
adding trees and shrubs around their model homes. These plantings make for a
complete and homey picture which is more appealing to prospective buyers.
Shade trees and foundation plantings are, along with top quality lawns, the
most sensible investments for suburban homes. For homeowners with less than
one-half acre, or who intend to resell their property within a few years, trees
and shrubs are great investments.
Of all landscaping elements, trees probably add the most to a property's
perceived value. But this is true only when trees are healthy and
well-maintained.
Although trees and shrubs have a well-deserved reputation for
low-maintenance, they do not thrive on neglect. Proper watering and fertilizing
are essential to keeping established landscape plants looking their best and to
ensure that new plantings get off to a vigorous and healthy start. The deeper
the root systems, the better the trees and shrubs can withstand extremes of
weather, hot and cold temperatures in particular. Deep watering and feeding
helps promote the development of deep roots.
If you are preparing your home for resale, you should consider a few
relatively inexpensive landscaping measures that enhance property values. There
is nothing more unappealing than overgrown shrubbery directly in front of a
house, particularly if foliage blocks a window. If the shrubs cannot be salvaged
by pruning, for just a few hundred dollars they can be replaced. It's worth it
because the front foundation planting is prominent enough to set the tone for an
entire house.
If necessary, hire a professional to whip a neglected lawn into shape and
also remove dead or unsightly branches from large trees. One of the easiest
improvements homeowners can make on their own is to apply a decorative mulch to
shrub borders, flower beds, and tree borders. A layer of chips or shredded bark
mulch, spread a couple of inches thick, will instantly add polish to almost any
landscape.
For additional information on horticulture topics, please contact your local
County Extension Office. This has been Sherri Sanders with the White County
Cooperative Extension Service in Searcy.
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