Home Values in Gainesville, VA – Landscaping Matters!

We’ve all heard about curb appeal. Well, now there is even more of a reason to make your landscaping more attractive – it may very well impact the overall value of your home. Making some simple changes and doing some basic clean up is a great place to start.

According to the Appraisal Institute, many items can be considered part of landscaping, such as fire pits, decks, patios, waterfalls, swimming pools and outdoor lighting … all of which could add to the value of your home.

A recent article quoted Appraisal Institute President Richard L. Borges II, MAI, SRA., who suggested more of the same – this hold true for homes in Gainesville, VA, where homeowners have come to expect to see nice extras in homes for sale…

“…homeowners should trim growth regularly, replant approximately every 5 to 10 years depending on growth and not “overwhelm” the house. He also advised that homeowners check out what their neighbors have done and keep landscaping maintenance and improvements on par with neighborhood norms.

According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, trees that are too close to buildings may be fire hazards. Additionally, larger tree root systems that extend underneath a house can cause foundation uplift and can leech water from the soil beneath foundations, causing the structures to settle and sink unevenly.

According to a recent study conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine, about two-thirds of homeowners say they’ll get less than 60 percent of their landscaping investment back when they sell the home.

“Landscaping improvements could make an impact on resale value, and homeowners need to consider how long they’ll be in the home and whether to make short-term updates or plan for the long haul,” Borges says.

We agree!