Infotube.net: Homes for Sale - For Sale By Owner (FSBO) - Real Estate Listings

  I have recently addressed the benefits of landscaping and a fresh coat of mulch as it applies to curb appeal and home sales.   In doing my research for the blog, I received a warning about the potential danger of a mulch, made from shredded cocoa shells, that poses a lethal threat to our four-legged friends and I felt compeled to pass the info along to all well meaning homeowners.

Cocoa Mulch, which is sold by Home Depot and other garden supply stores, contains a lethal ingredient called “Theobromine”.   Theobromine is the ingredient that is used to make all chocolate, especially dark or bakers chocolate, all of which are highly toxic to dogs.

Cocoa Mulch is known for its fine texture and sweet smell, which makes it an attractive choice for landscape.    Sadly, the ingredient that provides the nice chocolate smell also attracts pets.

Cocoa beans contain stimulants that may cause gastrointestinal upset, increased heart rate, restlessness, seizures and DEATH.   Puppies are curious by nature and are especially at risk.

Word of Caution:   Check what you are using in your gardens and be aware what your gardener is using around your pets.    If you smell Chocolate Pop Tarts, remove the mulch and reapply with a safe, bark or synthetic mulch.

Most home buyers believe they focus on the interior features of houses more than the landscape, but the truth is, that buyers will not get out of their car if the front landscape lacks interest and upkeep.  The landscape should arouse the buyer’s interest and lure them inside to view the interior.

To get the highest return on your landscape dollar, utilize the principles found in Landscape Design Psychology.  Landscape Psychology is based upon scientific research into the effects that the landscape has on home buyers.   These proven idea’s will help your home sell faster, and for more money, by working on buyer emotions and senses.

The Power of Color

Coordinate the colors of your flowering foliage.  Consider your selling season and plant flowers that perform well during that period.  Use plants that support your atmosphere and climate.   Also, use no more than 3 colors to give continuity and form to your landscape.

   Colors also have psychological power.  Green suggests freshness, coolness and vitality.   White shows up at night and conjures feelings of cleanliness.   Yellow is the first color our eye processes, so a spot of yellow by the front door will draw the eye to your entrance.   Red, yellow and Orange are all Hot colors, which excite and pick up the mood of any weary house hunter.

About.com: Landscape is a great website for the average homeowner.   The site provides idea’s and advice from professionals including a plant selector, great photographs, color scheme screener, DIY tutorials and helpful tips about hedges, fences, sidewalks, lawns and more.

Another great resource for help in creating an outdoor paradise can be found at HGTV.   

The Power of Smell

Realtors advise sellers to bake cookies or burn vanilla candles before showings or Open Houses because a comforting and pleasant aroma has the power to influence minds and moods.

In addition to color psychology, smart home owners give thought to the use of scents when planting a landscape.  They take advantage of the power of smell, especially near pathways and entry doors, that provoke a desired emotional response.  

     A few inexpensive and easy to grow suggestions that add a touch of scent to any landscape include lemon scented geraniums, jasmine, rosemary, lavender, basil, roses, hostas, honey suckle, gardenia or heliotrope.   In addition to providing months of enjoyment, many of these plants perform in a vareity of places such window boxes, planters, planting beds, hanging baskets or pathways.

When it comes to selling homes, a smart psychology landscape design can give you a huge advantage over your competition.   If buyers feel good while they look at your home, you will sell it quickly and for top dollar.

Home sellers or rehabbers who are considering a move   should focus their efforts on the home exterior for the highest pay back.

Remodeling Magazine, in cooperation with Realtors in 65 markets, issue their 20th Annual report of “Cost versus Value”.  The report named 6 home improvements that return greater than 80% of the cost, and of the 6, only one featured an interior upgrade.

The 6 improvements with the greatest returns are:

1. Siding Replacements using fiber cement materials returned 88.1% of the cost.
2. Wood Deck Addition returned 85.4% of the cost.
3. Midrange Vinyl Siding Replacement 83.2%.
4. Minor Kitchen Remodel return 83%.
5. Midrange Wood Window replacement 81.2%.
6. Upscale Vinyl Siding 81%.

Projects at the bottom of the cost recovery scale included home offices (57%), back up power generator (58%) and adding a mid-range sunroom (59.1%).

The remodeling report results verifies our belief that curb appeal is a crucial element for sales success in today’s real estate market.  

In a highly competitive environment, home sellers should take an objective look at their house from the street to determine if the look is one that welcomes or turns buyers off.

Thank you for visiting InfoTube.net homes for sale blog.  Please let us know topics that interest you.

What is Curb Appeal?   It is the first impression of a house as seen from the street.     

How can a do-it-yourselfer on a limited budget improve the curb appeal of their home?    Simply, add some color and life to the landscape. 

Any doubts??  Seeing is believing.   Even a bit of mulch thrown around existing plants helps this home show better.

When selling a home, little compares to the value that colorful plants and fresh mulch can add to the curb appeal.    An attractive landscape not only showcases pride of ownership, but plants are one of the few options that can instantly improve bad architecture or distract from a neighborhood eyesore with little to no expense or effort.

Take a Look at the Before and After pictures below.  You can immediately see the huge difference that colorful plants, mulch and a few dollars can make in the appearance of these homes.   

If you are convinced that improving the appeal of your property is a “must do”, adding color and tiding up your landscape is as easy as a stop by your local nursery.   Unless you know what plants to choose, arm your a picture of your present landscape.  Ask the experts what plants they recommend for your needs, then dig in.

If you want to learn about suitable plants and great idea’s, before visiting a local garden center, check out www.garden.org    Garden.org is a non-profit resource from the National Gardening Association.   The website is easy to use and features fun and helpful tools including: Plant selection screener; free seed swap; pest and weed control solutions; and much more.

A great website resource for detailed and reliable information about tree’s is www.arborday.org .  The website offers tree selection and identification, tips for pruning, fertilizing and placement.  They also give away Free Tree’s.   Become a member and receive 10 free flowering tree’s to use in your landscape, give as gifts or  plant randomly to improve the enviroment and beauty of your community.  The website also has fun and educational programs and give aways for schools and children.

Before Exterior Shot of Home For Sale

After Picture of the Exact Same House. 

Which home would attract you if you were shopping for a home????  Which home would you pay more to live in???   Exactly, and so would a prospective buyer. 

In today’s competitive housing market, curb appeal is more important to buyers than in the past.   If your home landscape is overgrown, it is time to trim, or better yet remove those old shrubs.  

It’s free, easy to do and will help your home sell faster and for more money.