Landscape your home anyway you like it?
By Justin Hunter
People have many ideas of how they think there new home
is going to look. Some people have specific envisions
since childhood and other see a property
and then discover how they want to improve it. While
the type and size of the home is usually important,
the landscaping is what sells it emotionally.
However, when it comes to landscaping, not everything
goes.
Raynor James’ article, “Considering Landscaping
Whey Buying a Home,”
posted on ezinearticles.com warns prospective home buyers
to think before they buy when it comes to landscaping.
“It is a rare day indeed when you pull up to a
property for sale and think it is perfect. Every person
has different tastes and these tastes are reflected
in a variety of ways. While the style of home is a big
issue, the landscaping for a property comes in close
second. Simply put, most people prefer their own “look”
and tend to form a mental vision of the home with their
style of landscaping. This makes sense on many fronts,
but can cause problems on others.”
Landscaping for a home can be described to include everything
from plants to the addition of a patio. This is the
definition used by real
estate agents to classify the needs or desires of
“flippers,” which is when a real estate
investor purchases a small apartment complex with no
landscaping, spruces it up with landscaping and new
paths and then sells it for a very lucrative profit.
Since you will most likely sell your home at one point
in your life, this is a viable approach to take.
So now you have an idea of what you want to landscape
around the house, but hold on.
“Many homes these days are within developments
and that means rules, rules, and rules. Many developments
have strict rules regarding landscaping and additions
to properties such as hot tubs, decks and such. These
rules all tend to go one way – you can’t
do anything! Before you rush off to make an offer on
a property, make absolutely sure you understand what
you can and cannot change.”
The most prevalent dispute associated with landscaping
has to do with views. “When it comes to views,
it is all about creating them and getting them blocked.”
You may have a home that has two large trees blocking
a gorgeous view of the valley, but before you cut them
down, you should find out if there is any regulation
against it. According to James, you may be surprised
to find out what you can or cannot do with your yard.
Obviously, the reverse situation would create a problem
as well; if you planted trees that distracted someone
else’s view.
This brings up another point: make sure that your current
view is protected from invasion. Just because you have
a panoramic view today does not mean that construction
vehicles can’t come in and create a mini-mall
or condominium complex that blocks your view. You can
find this out by contacting a city official.
“Nothing kills the equity in a home more than
buying when you have a view and then trying to sell
when you don’t.”
“At the end of the day, it is important to evaluate
the potential of homes you are considering buying.
That being said, it is also important to understand
how much you can and cannot change them.”
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