The real estate market is a competitive scene right now, which means that home sellers across northern Colorado need to step up their game.
If you really want to catch the eyes of potential homebuyers who are ready to drop some serious cash (or at least the asking price), you need to make their first impression of your home a good one.
Fortunately, your pals at All Terrain are here to help with some landscaping tips to increase home value in Colorado.
Here’s how you can spruce up your outdoor space:
Top 5 Landscaping Tips to Increase Home Value in Colorado
1. Trees are expensive…take care of it upfront.
Everyone loves a good tree (or two or ten) in their yard to provide shade, aesthetics, treehouses – you name it. What’s not to like? They look good, they’re great for enjoying outdoor spaces, and they increase the value of your home.
That being said, purchasing and installing trees can be an expensive project. It’s worth the cost, though!
If you’re ready to up the value of your home with some new trees, we’ve got some helpful tips to share.
When selecting a tree, you should keep these questions in mind:
- How tall and wide (and deep) will the tree get?
- What kind of maintenance will the tree require?
- Which trees will thrive in dry climates?
- How will the tree react to the native environment and ecosystem?
Trees come in all shapes and sizes, but not all of those will complement your space in all stages of life. Take physical space into consideration, as well as appearance and durability.
Sycamore trees and Honey Locusts are both great options for providing shade, while trees like the Japanese Lilac or Amur Maple are more ornamental.
However, we would not recommend Aspens, Silver Maples, and Willow trees if you live in the Front Range of Colorado. These types of trees can be susceptible to insects and diseases, making them less reliable options.
If you’re looking to add some privacy to your yard (which will help increase your home value), check out this list of Northern Colorado Privacy Trees that we put together.
Ready to plant your first tree? The best times to plant in Colorado is spring or fall. Make sure to do your research on water requirements and keep your trees properly nourished with fertilizer.
Pruning any dead branches in mid to late winter will keep your trees thriving all year long, in addition to freshly applied mulch when needed.
2. Clean up your landscaping.
Sometimes all your landscaping needs is a good, thorough cleanup.
Get rid of dead twigs and leaves, prune the hedges, pull weeds, power wash bird droppings off the porch, and store away children’s toys every fall and spring, so you and your landscaping are at your best.
Don’t have a power washer at home? No worries – you can always rent one! Check your local home improvement store, like Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Ace Hardware. They’ll also have all the other necessary items you need to complete your cleanup jobs, such as rakes, hedge trimmers, gloves, and yard waste bags.
You know that they say: presentation is everything. When it comes to your lawn, the initial presentation can make all the difference in how a potential buyer views your home.
For more ideas, check out our maintenance blog page.
3. Add a splash of color.
Depending on the season, adding color to your landscaping may be a challenge.
However, brightening up your outdoor space with colorful flowers and plants can add a whole new element of beauty that will attract homebuyers. Don’t go overboard, though – you don’t want your landscape to be ‘too much.’
When adding flowers or plants, consider the difference between perennials and annuals and how that may or may not add to the design and aesthetic of your home.
Perennials will come back every season, so these are good plants to use as design staples. They’re sturdy throughout the year. Annuals, on the other hand, will die after one year. They may require a bit more upkeep, but they also allow you to play around with new plants, colors and looks.
Every plant is different, so you’ll need to find out what maintenance is required to keep your landscaping colorful and healthy.
4. Repair your irrigation system.
This is one of the most important landscaping tips to increase home value in Colorado.
Be sure that you are maintaining your system year-round, namely in the spring and fall.
In the fall (around October), you’ll want to schedule your sprinkler system blowout. This will get rid of any excess water in your pipes, so freezing doesn’t affect the irrigation system when temperatures begin to drop.
When it starts to warm up in spring, however, you’ll need to schedule a sprinkler turn-on to give your plants some much-needed water. Watch out for freezing temperatures, though. Although the weather is typically warming up in late spring, it can still get cold enough to severely damage your system.
Outside of these routine check-ins, you can schedule sprinkler audits during the summer to ensure everything is in proper working order. It’s always best to hire a professional for repairs, too.
If you slack off when it comes to irrigation system care and repair, you can kiss those potential homebuyers goodbye. People don’t want a home that requires a lot of work – especially when it comes to something as important as irrigation.
And if you’re looking for some additional information on irrigation systems, you can always check out our blog posts about sprinkler systems.
5. Add a new layer of mulch.
If your mulch is looking a little drab, toss a new layer on top of it. The rich color of fresh mulch brightens up the surrounding flowers and plants, which gives it an overall pleasing appearance.
Not to mention, mulch is key to keeping your plants and trees in tip-top condition. It helps conserve moisture and protects the roots from extreme summer and winter temperatures. It’s important to keep fresh mulch on your plants to ensure that they are healthy all year long.
Need Help with Any of These Landscaping Tips?
While All Terrain loves landscaping your home, we’re also here to help you turn it into someone else’s home sweet home. We hope these landscaping tips to increase home value in Colorado are beneficial to you (and the new owners of your space).
Get in touch if you need a little value added before putting it on the market.
