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[Real Estate Tips]

Landscaping Sets the Scene for Successful Home Sale

Whether its adding new sod, putting in a tree, planting spring bulbs, giving your yard a good clean up or planning holiday decorations, autumn is often a time to focus on your home's landscaping.

But whenever your attention turns in that direction, remember landscaping can have a significant impact when it's time to sell your home, according to a group of top agents affiliated with RE/MAX Northern Illinois.

"Landscaping is a major factor in a home's curb appeal, and curb appeal plays a vital role in determining how fast a home sells and whether it commands its full listing price or a bit less," says Bob Wisdom, of RE/MAX Professionals West in Elgin, Ill. To realize your home's price potential, he advises, "Opulent landscaping isn't necessary, just something that is simple and well done."

Wisdom estimates that for two similar homes, one well landscaped and the other not, the difference in selling price can be as high as 10 percent in his area. He recommends that sellers adhere to a few basic precepts when it comes to preparing the home for sale. Keep the driveway in good condition (asphalt driveways must be sealed regularly). Keep beds and shrubs neatly trimmed and mulched. Use flowering plants to add some color in summer and add a few evergreens to provide color in winter.

Neatness clearly counts when it comes to landscaping, according to Tim Soltys of RE/MAX Advisors in Wood Dale, Ill. "Landscaping almost always turns out to be an accurate reflection of the home it surrounds," says Soltys. "In 21 years of selling real estate, few homes I've seen have sloppy landscaping but then turn out to be nice inside. Buyers know that almost instinctively. If they see poorly maintained landscaping, it can be hard to get them out of the car and into the home."

What an owner spends to landscape her home should be commensurate with the value of the property, advises Bob O'Hara of RE/MAX Southeast in Lansing, Ill. "The usual rule of thumb is that you don't want to spend more than 5 to 10 percent of the value of your home on landscaping. Professional landscaping is not inexpensive, but it can help sell a home more quickly. I'd estimate it will cut the selling time of a home by anywhere from two weeks to a month," O'Hara said.

Landscape isn't just an eye-appeal issue. A landscape created with ease of maintenance in mind can definitely help sell a home, contends Aram Bayzaee of RE/MAX North in Northbrook, Ill. "Buyers are more concerned about minimal maintenance requirements than was the case 20 years ago because today both owners often have demanding careers and other obligations," he says. "For instance, I see many buyers who love it when a house has an in-ground sprinkler system because they don't want to be bothered dragging hoses all over the property.

However, Bayzaee notes that a low maintenance landscape is more of an issue for homes in the moderate or lower price ranges. "Once you get to homes in our area that are priced at $800,000 or more, the buyers typically can afford a landscaping service to handle any yard work they don't want to do themselves," he said.

For those thinking of selling their home in the next few years and considering a landscaping upgrade to make the property more attractive, keep things simple and selecting fast growing shrubs that will make an impact quickly.



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