Re-Landscaping: the One Truly Cost Effective Home Improvement Project?

Home improvement projects needn't break your bank account. While a remodeled kitchen, a deck or a second-floor addition can really increase your home's value, these improvements can require most homeowners to take out a loan to complete them. 

There are other ways to increase your home's value with much less money. Chief among them is landscaping. Consider:

• A well-landscaped home adds what real estate agents call "Curb Appeal".
• A good first impression on a prospective buyer can charm him or her into looking past other, larger flaws.
• Adding new plants and taking care of existing ones can go a long way to creating that curb appeal.

Avoiding the Dangers of Inadequate DIY Landscaping

Landscaping is one of those projects that you can do yourself, but one study warns to think twice before putting shovel to earth. The researchers found that poorly installed or minimal landscaping could actually decrease the value of a home.

High quality design proved to be the most important aspect to landscaping among the study's respondents.

Houses with:

• Foundation plantings (close to the house), as well as those having ...
• Separate islands, specimen plants (centerpiece, often exotic, plants), and ...
• Trees ...

... scored the highest in a survey.

This may be more than the average homeowner can do alone, and it may be a wise choice to invest in the services of a professional landscaping company to carry out the project.

Most homeowners know that replacing the roof or upgrading siding can enhance a house's "curb appeal" and boost its sales price. Now, some people are considering what the payback will be if they invest in things that appraisers may routinely overlook: flowers, shrubs and trees.

Real-estate agents say a nicely landscaped property can have a pronounced effect on the asking price of a home, depending on the region and the condition of the neighbors' yards. D.D. recently sold a house in Anthem, Arizona, that had sculpted hedges, a lush lawn and a backyard waterfall, for $1.1 million, nearly twice the asking price of a similar home nearby with a plainer yard.

Residential Landscaping Strategies and Ideas

There are lots of ways that you can re-landscape your home and property and enjoy a better quality of life. Here are some areas to consider:

• New constructions: when building your new property, by thinking about landscaping now, you increase the value of the finished property, avoid disruption later and save money.
• Remodels: you can remodeling an existing landscape to create a stunning new look!
• Enhancing your Arizona life style by creating or revamping your outdoor kitchen. Enjoy better chow times with outdoor barbeques and deep fryers.
• Why stop at an outdoor kitchen when you can enjoy Arizona lifestyle outside both in the day time and evenings with a cool outdoor rooms - including an outdoor fireplace.
• Today's Arizona and Phoenix residents are redefining living spaces by extending outside areas to include new style patios, pools, spas, waterfalls, water fountains and other water features.
• Look afresh at what you have both in and around your home or ranch. You can discuss your ideas with a competent and experienced landscaping company to tap into the serenity of desert nature.
• Beautiful and well designed landscaping that complements your home can give you a new personal environment designed to let you relax, chill out and get away from the stresses and strains that modern living sometimes gives us.
• A smart, considered outdoor landscape design can allow you to to stay cool on warm evenings, and stay warm on cool evenings with your own fire pit.
• Your landscaper can show you superb ways to bring tropical nature ideas into your very own living space to create your own desert oasis.
• By choosing the right kinds of desert plants - including selected palms, ferns and cacti - you can complement your home and truly be in tune with your surroundings.
• Perhaps no Arizona property is complete without the sound and feel of cool running water. With a beautifully landscaped outside pool and spa area, both young and not so young Ariziona residents can rediscover the simple fun and magic of clean water - especially when it's hot, hot, hot!
• You can take the first step today to enjoy remarkable, relaxing spas, fountains, waterfalls, and other aquatic features.
• If you have family and friends visiting, your professional landscaper can advise on how to best ensure your landscaping designs are kid friendly.
• If you have pets, ask your landscaper about how to consider pet friendly landscaping too.
• And more, much more.

Want to see what's possible? Then why not check out Landscape Creator Desert Designer project galleries?

Talk to Rob to discover all about the exciting possibilities that are now available Phoenix and Arizona residents.

Call us today for your personalized design consultation: 602.550.8074