By June Fletcher
What: Plant a treeWhy: A tree with spring flowers, colorful fall leaves, and interesting bark – such as a dogwood, almond or ornamental cherry -- makes a good front-yard focal point. Plant it at least 15 feet from the house, so roots don't clog sewer lines and branches don't block windows or obscure the home's architecture.Cost: $23 for 4-foot-high white-flowering dogwood (mature height 30 feet) at NatureHills.com.
What: Flank the entryway with flowersWhy: Big pots of colorful flowers on either side of the front door are welcoming and draw people in emotionally. "They make people feel good," says Palm Beach, Fla., real estate agent Nancy Macaluso. But don't use plastic pots; they look cheap, and can fall over in the wind. Cost: $20 for pink azalea in pearl-colored ceramic pot at Windowbox.com. By June Fletcher
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Showing posts with label Real Estate Articles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Estate Articles. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Selling Houses By the Yard: By June Fletcher
Selling HousesBy the Most homeowners know that replacing the roof or upgrading siding can enhance a house's curb appeal and boost its sales price. Now, as the housing market continues to weaken, some people are considering what the payback will be if they invest in things that appraisers 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. Doreen Drew recently sold a house in Anthem, Ariz., 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. Bill Good, a broker in Colorado Springs, Colo., says he just sold a house with newly planted mature bushes and fresh sod in the front yard for $1.225 million; previously it had languished on the market for more than a year at $1.175 million. In Palm Beach County, Fla., homes with colorful flowers and tall palms typically sell for 10% to 15% more than those without these features, according to agent Nancy Macaluso. That's why she'll often lug huge potted plants to the homes of clients whose greenery needs a boost. "It makes a difference," she says.Kathleen Wolf, a researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle, recently reviewed several regional studies that used appraisals or sales data to analyze the impact of trees on single-family home prices. She found that, overall, a lot with trees adds about 7% to a home's price. Nearly 20% of buyers say they consider landscaping to be a "very important" factor in their decision to buy a house, according to a new study by the National Association of Realtors. From The Wall Street Journal Online
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. Doreen Drew recently sold a house in Anthem, Ariz., 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. Bill Good, a broker in Colorado Springs, Colo., says he just sold a house with newly planted mature bushes and fresh sod in the front yard for $1.225 million; previously it had languished on the market for more than a year at $1.175 million. In Palm Beach County, Fla., homes with colorful flowers and tall palms typically sell for 10% to 15% more than those without these features, according to agent Nancy Macaluso. That's why she'll often lug huge potted plants to the homes of clients whose greenery needs a boost. "It makes a difference," she says.Kathleen Wolf, a researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle, recently reviewed several regional studies that used appraisals or sales data to analyze the impact of trees on single-family home prices. She found that, overall, a lot with trees adds about 7% to a home's price. Nearly 20% of buyers say they consider landscaping to be a "very important" factor in their decision to buy a house, according to a new study by the National Association of Realtors. From The Wall Street Journal Online
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