The weekend warriors are hopeful that after days of cleaning up after last Friday’s storm they can finally get back to the more rewarding task of taking care of their lawns. Exactly seven days after a strong wind, hail, and rain storm passed through the states of Nebraska and Iowa, the temperatures have finally cooled back down and the weekend looks clear for paying attention to lawn maintenance, instead of focusing on cutting up toppled trees and loose branches.
Lawns are the pride of many home owners, and when a storm that threatens how those lawns look you can expect that many will do all that it takes to get their homes back to looking their best.
Although many think about lawns as nothing more than those annoying places that need to be mowed at least once a week this time of the year, many home owners realize that the green space around their property is important to a home’s value. In fact, 83% of Americans think having a yard is important and 90% of those with a yard think it is important that the yard is also well-maintained. Home owners, however, are not the only ones who think that investing in a yard and landscaping is a good idea. As many as 98% of real estate agents recommend landscaping as a top five home improvement recommendation. Theses real estate agents even go so far as saying that a homeowner can expect as much as a 215% return on investment.
Working with a Professional Landscape Designer You Can Add Significant Value to Your Home
Unfortunately, some home owners take the wrong approach to updating their yards and landscaping. Throwing money away on the wrong kind of shrubs and trees does not help your investment. Working with a local landscaping team, for instance, can help you make the wisest choices when it comes to selecting plants that will not only survive, but thrive.
It is also important to understand that not all landscaping will last forever. Just because your professionally designed landscaping looked great 20 years ago, for instance, does not mean that it will still look great today. Lilac bushes that are always towering above the front porch railing just weeks after they have been trimmed, for instance, may need to be replaced. In fact, the decision to pull out old overgrown shrubs can save you hours of maintenance and trimming every year.
Consider some of these other facts and figures about the landscaping industry and the value it can bring to your property:
- 92% of those property owners adding landscaping to their yards are choosing plants that are native to the region.
- 51% of home owners who are upgrading their outdoor spaces spend six or more hours in those spaces every week. Relaxing, gardening, and entertaining are the top three ways these spaces are used.
- 90% of real estate agents encourage their home selling clients to invest in landscaping before the property is listed.
- 75% of home owners over the age of 18 feel that it is important to spend time outside in their yards, according to a new survey by Harris Poll for the National Association of Landscape Professionals conducted among 2,034 U.S. adults.
- Landscaping improvements raise the property value as much as 12%.
- Landscaping improvements increases a home?s resale value as much as 14%.
- 63% of people surveyed reported being willing to pay more for an apartment or house if it was located in an area with good green spaces. This compares to the smaller 34% of those surveyed who indicated that they are willing to pay more for an area with good shopping, and the 33% who indicate that they will pay more for good cultural venues.
- 56% of home owners are budgeting $10,000 or more on their current, or upcoming, outdoor projects where professionals are involved.
- 66% indicate that they have actually spent $10,000 or more on recently completed projects.
- 64% of home owners upgrading outdoor spaces are addressing backyards. Of these, 58% of these home owners indicate that the upgrades they are substantial, like paving, new beds, building and upgrading structures, or a complete overhaul; 29% say they are making smaller improvements like re-grading, terracing, or re-landscaping.
