Landscaping in San Diego: More Than Just Planting And Mulching

If you compare photos you see of homes located in the highest and lowest values in any city and you’ll likely notice one of the most prominent differences immediately hopping off of the page: landscaping. Landscaping is one of those features of a home that do not register with the typical observer unless things have deteriorated significantly or if an unusual amount of care and attention has been given.

Thanks to this, landscaping often unfairly finds itself on the sidelines in the vast canvas of home renovations. After all, why would you spend money on raised beds and water features when a new bathroom vanity or kitchen counter provides a direct monetary return to your investment?

The answer to this question becomes obvious when you compare a ‘baseline home’ to one that’s undergone a transformative landscape redesign. The colloquial term for it is ‘curb appeal,’ which we believe is an understatement when describing such a drastic aesthetic upgrade to the look and feel of your home. Even if the observer doesn’t immediately recognize the landscape’s effect on their perception, their brain will nonetheless make the subconscious beneficial connections to it and wealth, nature, and plenty.

The landscape’s effect on the observer acts as a first impression that colors the entire home viewing experience, consciously or unconsciously. A poorly maintained lawn will denote low-value messiness that will translate over to their observations of the interior. A dull but well-maintained lawn will provide a value-neutral impression, while a well-thought-out and inspired landscape will increase the rest of the home’s value in the viewer’s mind.

Curbside appeal works just as well online as it does in person. Many listings on Zillow or Realtor will provide the viewer with a comprehensive visual guide of the interior while conspicuously avoiding any image of the yard space. Compare those listings with an alternative that has a well-constructed landscape prominently featured, you’re likely to see more attention and more offers when it comes time to sell the property.

This isn’t just coming from us – Consumer Reports recently wrote an extensive report into just how much landscaping and outdoor space improvements could contribute to the sale price of a property. Here’s a short list of what they found:

• Simply including the word ‘landscaping’ in the list of features is usually enough to bump up the price by almost 3%.
• Sprucing up your entryway with new paint and redone landscaping can add up to $6000 by itself.
• Outdoor lighting contributed to homes selling 3.1 days faster and for 1.6% more in the final sale price.
• Adding the word ‘pergola’ in a listing contributes to a 2% higher price and a property selling 9 days faster.
• Homes mentioning ‘fire pit’ in their listing sold for an additional 2.8% and sold 3.8 days faster on average.

Outside of simply adding a significant percentage to the final sale price, the effect of curb appeal can be seen in the additional speed at which these homes were sold. The draw of the aesthetics and the ability of potential buyers to enjoy their outdoor spaces expedited the sales process and increased the overall interest in the property!

So when is the ‘right time’ to begin considering a transformative landscape redesign project? Usually, the effects of poor maintenance or a landscape that’s outgrown its useful life will let itself be known somewhat conspicuously. 

For example, you may notice that your hardscape has begun to crack and degrade thanks to earthquakes and root growth. Drainage pipes may burst or get consistently blocked up, turning vast swathes of your lawn into a grassy soup. Trees and shrubs that were at one point pretty and manicured tend to become overgrown and gnarled as the years wear on.

Whether you’re looking for an easy way to increase the interest in your home, fixing the results of years of neglect from a previous homeowner, or simply have a clear vision for what you want your outdoor space to look like, Torrey Pines Landscape Company is here to help. Call today!