FSBO Jane

If you don’t have the funds to make any grand improvements to the interior, focus on exterior repairs. Don’t overlook the importance of exterior appeal. If your home is attractive outside, it will draw more buyers inside. That doesn’t mean you have to spend thousands of dollars on installing a new patio or anything like that. Even the smallest improvement will help! Here are a few things to concentrate on:

Landscaping
If you want to catch a potential buyer’s eye, the first thing you should do is spruce up the landscaping.

Lighting
Adding more lighting or upgrading the lighting you already have will highlight your lush new landscaping.

Front Entry
If your front entry is immaculate and inviting, potential buyers will want to see what’s inside!

Fresh Paint
Putting a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your home is an easy and relatively inexpensive improvement.

Wash Windows
It might seem simple, but washing your windows will go a long way in adding exterior appeal.

Mailbox
If your home’s exterior looks nice but the mailbox appears old and out of shape, it might be a turnoff to potential buyers.

Landscaping. Unless you have a green thumb, you most likely won’t want to spend long days outside gardening, getting your property to look exactly the way you want it. If you are happy with a simple lawn, with little to no shrubbery, then this post is not for you. However, if you want a lush, tropical property or a gorgeous perennial garden, you may want to consider hiring a professional landscaper.

Why would I hire a professional?

Ask yourself the following questions:
• It this my first landscaping project? If so, hire a landscaper.
• Do I understand technical aspects, concerning things like digging and drainage? If not, hire a landscaper.
• Am I unsure as to what type of plants work best with the climate of my neighborhood? If so, hire a landscaper.
• Do I know what I want? For example, “Which flowers look nice with those plants?” If you don’t (or if you do but want guidance), hire a landscaper.
• Do I have the time to spend outside… all day, every day… for a week or two? If not, hire a landscaper.

Once I find a landscaper, what do I do?

Remember that you are hiring this person to do a job. Like any employee anywhere in the world, a landscaper needs credentials.

• Does the landscaper have a license? Most landscapers are required to have some type of license or certificate, depending upon the state in which you live.
• Is the landscaper insured? If the landscaper gets hurt on the job, you could be liable to pay for hospital bills. Protect yourself… and your investment!
• Does the landscaper have a portfolio? Just as you had to produce a resume for your first job interview, a landscaper should be expected to provide you with samples.
• Will the landscaper provide an estimate? You need to know exactly how much you are paying BEFORE the work begins. You have a right to know the cost of the landscaping, down to the smallest detail. And if the landscaper suggests additions as he/she is working, ask how much they cost before you say yes.

ASK QUESTIONS! Your landscaper works for you. If you don’t like a design, speak up. If you are concerned about the price of pot or a fountain, tell someone. You should be able to have the landscape of your dreams (that matches your budget).

One of my favorite parts of moving into my first home, after a few years of living from apartment to apartment, was that I finally had a yard. Of course, what I hadn’t bargained for was the accompanying work a yard takes, but eventually I liked that, too.

Here’s what you need to know about lawns:

1) They matter in curb appeal and 2) The way you care for yours can affect the environment.

Let’s start with the first thing: how your lawn affects curb appeal. A vibrant yard improves your home’s curb appeal, which is one of the biggest factors influencing curb appeal. Accompanied by flowers, trimmed bushes and trees, the lawn can completely change the way your home looks to buyers. Because it’s the first thing buyers see, it can make all the difference in bringing them inside.

Now for the second thing: how your lawn impacts the environment. This isn’t something you’d normally think about, but the reality is - your landscaping is an issue bigger than the scope of your front yard. Did you know grass is efficient at converting carbon dioxide to oxygen, helping to clean the air? It also provides nutrients for birds and absorbs many harmful pollutants.

Beyond its benefits, your lawn carries a weight responsibility. The way you care for it can impact the environment, too. Consider this:

Pesticides: Look into your options and find out which will be most environmentally friendly!

Watering: Rather than pumping out water, try putting out rain buckets to conserve natural water and use it for your plants! Whatever source of water you use, be careful not to overwater. Also, don’t waste valuable resources watering down walkways.

The truth is, your lawn may be a small space, but it’s part of a HUGE amount of land covering our planet, spread out amongst backyards and private spaces. If everyone worked together to maintain that land, think of the difference we’d see!

If you’re selling your home, you know that it’s not just your curb appeal that matters. Often, potential buyers can be very turned off by ugly neighbors—or their ugly houses, that is. If the house next door is unkept, surrounded by overgrown landscaping or obviously uncared for, buyers picture themselves looking at that unsightly view every day, for the next years of their lives—and they want to move on.

So what can you do if you’re in this situation? Aside from hoping (and asking, begging, praying) for your neighbors to improve their property, you need to work extra hard to bring buyers to your doorstep. How?

1. Price LOW.

The asking price you choose needs to be attractive enough to draw buyers, usually at least 10% below what you would’ve otherwise planned. Not doing this could result in letting your home sit, for sale but unsold, for months at a time.

2. Go to Your Neighbor.

Of course every situation is different, and while many confrontations would prove awkward or tense, some neighbors would actually welcome help in improving their yard/exterior. If your neighbor is disabled or elderly, for example, you could suggest raking the yard yourself or planting some flowers in front. Having to invest your time and money into your neighbor’s property may seem unfair, but it could make a crucial difference in how your home is perceived.

Have you faced a situation like this, where you needed to sell a home set right next to a poorly

Landscaping is a key factor when selling or purchasing a house. The quest for a perfect lawn, however, often leads to gallons of wasted water.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, of the 26 billion gallons of water consumed daily in the United States, approximately 7.8 billion gallons are devoted to outdoor uses. A water-efficient yard can be achieved with just a few inexpensive changes. Here are some tips for maintaining an immaculate yard without having to increase your water bill.

• Water your lawn only when it is necessary. Simply walk across your lawn and, if you leave footprints, it’s time to water.
• Water your lawn and plants long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems.
• Grow drought-resistant shrubs and plants. They are just as beautiful and require far less water.
• Plant during the spring or fall, when the watering requirements are lower.
• Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
• Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
• Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. Longer grass shades root systems and holds soil moisture better than a closely clipped lawn.
• Use porous materials for walkways and patios to keep water in your yard and prevent wasteful runoff.
• Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
• Install a rain shut-off device on your automatic sprinklers to eliminate unnecessary watering.
• Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by planting shrubs, and ground cover with rock and granite mulching.
• When watering grass on steep slopes, use a soaker hose to prevent wasteful runoff.
• Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.
• While fertilizers promote plant growth, they also increase water consumption. Apply the minimum amount of fertilizer needed.
• Avoid installing ornamental water features and fountains that spray water into the air. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation.
• Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs and allow leaf litter to accumulate on top of the soil. This keeps the soil cooler and reduces evaporation.
• Use sprinklers that throw big drops of water close to the ground. Smaller drops of water and mist often evaporate before they hit the ground.
• Adjust your watering schedule to the season. Water your summer lawn every third day and your winter lawn every fifth day.
• Bathe your pets outdoors in an area in need of water.
• Aerate your lawn. Punch holes in your lawn about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
• For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.
• Consider using a drip irrigation system in your garden.

Photo: Low Impact Living

OK, in some parts of the country you might not believe it, but I promise: spring is just around the corner. 

In the Midwest, we have had a horrible winter with too much snow, frigid temperatures and dark, gloomy days. But spring is coming and what better way to welcome it than to brighten up our yards?

On that first warm day when the temperature creeps to the 50-degree mark or above, everyone wants to get outside and enjoy the weather, since it may not last. Grab the light jackets, the kids and some gardening gloves and head out into the yard.

CLEAN UP

While the kids kick the soccer ball around the yard or scooter on the driveway, take a garbage bag and start picking up all the garbage that has accumulated on the lawn, in the bushes and under your plants all those months beneath the snow. Make sure to wear gloves and boots because some of the papers can be wet and the ground will most likely be muddy.

EVALUATE

Once that task is accomplished, take a good long look at your yard from the front street.  Odds are it probably doesn’t look very impressive, but with a little effort you can create a beautiful front yard perfect for enticing new buyers.

HANG A FLAG

Since the plants probably don’t have any color yet, it is up to you to create color that will draw interest to the home. The easiest way is to hang Old Glory from the front porch or garage. There are no prettier colors to an American then the old red, white and blue.

ADD LIGHTS

If you have a walkway, think of ways to spruce it up a bit.  Adding flowers is not an option since the threat of a possible frost still lingers in the air, but think about purchasing some solar lights to illuminate your walkway.  Available in a large variety of shapes, designs and price, the walkway lights will definitely add flair and glamour to your drab spring landscape.

PUT OUT FRESH FLOWERS

The weather might be warm where you live already, so if there isn’t too much threat of another frost, you may consider investing a few dollars in planting some beautifully colored flowers in decorative flower pots.  Mix up the colors of the flowers, creating a vibrant splash of hues and throw in one or two hanging green plants for dramatic effect.  Place them on a front porch step or near the front door or garage where they can easily be seen. Don’t make the pots too large. That way, if the temperatures do dip, you can easily pick them up and carry them inside until the weather warms again. 

ALTERNATIVE: USE ARTIFICIAL PLANTS

Is the temperature still being temperamental? Consider decorating the pots with silk flowers. Available at craft stores, silk plants can be beautiful, colorful and inexpensive, but still creates the same vivid result.

PULL OUT FURNITURE

Since spring is almost in the air, why not pull out the outdoor furniture now to liven up the front porch. A single rocking chair or two Adirondack chairs with a small table between them, painted in vibrant colors, can turn a boring front porch into an inviting one.

The point is, as soon as the weather warms if only for a day, head outside and do what you can to turn that drab front yard into a thing of beauty!