Landscaping Improvements that Add Value

When you choose to partner with CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty you will be connecting to a wealth of resources in the marketing and selling of your home in Central New Jersey. We will help determine the current value of your home and guide you in various ways you can increase the value. The first thing a potential buyer will see when visiting your home is landscaping. There are several landscaping improvements that can add significant value to your home. 

• Going Pro: Professional landscaping can increase a home's value by 10-20 percent. A professional landscaper will provide an effective design that can bring everything together with hardscaping and softscaping elements. The seven principles of landscape design (simplicity, variety, sequence, emphasis, unity, scale, and balance) considered and implemented by the professional landscaper will create the perfect setting. The potential buyer will be impressed from the moment they arrive at your home. 

• Plant Flowers: With the help of a professional design, or moving forward with a plan of your own, you can add a lot of value and interest by planting flowers. Choose a variety of flowers with respect to the color palette of the landscape design. Colorful perennial and annual flowers will always catch a lot of attention. Bee Balm, Blanket Flowers, and Butterfly Weed are all popular choices for a New Jersey Garden. Butterfly Weed is a native New Jersey plant (not to be confused with the problematic and invasive Butterfly Bush on the “do not plant” list) and will attract a variety of birds and butterflies to your home (and we think it will attract buyers too). 

• Plant Trees: Mature trees have been shown to add considerable value to neighborhoods and homes. Mature trees can add over $9,000 to a home’s value, so think twice before removing any trees during a landscaping overhaul. Planting new trees will also add value. Japanese Maples are among the most colorful of trees with a broad range of foliage colors from red to green to purple, orange, or pink, though many will leaf out in a brilliant red in Spring and stay red until Autumn. These trees grow and thrive well in New Jersey. They are a great choice for a smaller space in your landscape design. A Flowering Dogwood, with white, red, or pink flowers, is another fine choice for smaller spaces…but will grow 20-25 feet in height as it matures with a 12-15 foot spread so plan accordingly. 

• Walkways: As part of the hardscaping, walkways are an integral part of your landscape design. Take care to edge and hose off, or pressure-wash, your current walkways. Introducing a new meandering stone walkway in your overall design will guide visitors around the yard as they enjoy all the natural beauty you have so lovingly planned for. A garden bench along the path will provide a welcome resting spot for your buyer to sit and imagine themselves sipping on an ice cold beer and relaxing on a beautiful summer day in the garden of their new home. 

• Patio: Outdoor living spaces are another key feature to the hardscaping in your design. While a wooden deck may cost well over $15,000 a ground level patio with stone pavers will cost $1,000-$5,000 and provide a very high return on investment for your home. A well executed patio, incorporated into your overall design, is a step above adding a bench to the path (but don’t get rid of the bench…it’s a perfect spot for a little privacy and reflection). 

Contact CENTURY 21 Action Plus Realty today! We look forward to helping you market and sell your home in Central New Jersey.