Beautiful landscaping. Too much?

[Mike Garrett RAA]

First time ever I have heard of considering very nice landscaping a negative. IN MY MARKET it isn't uncommon to spend $20,000 or more just to have "nice landscaping".

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

IN MY MARKET it isn't uncommon to spend $20,000 or more just to have "nice landscaping".

You have nice landscaping...its called Pikes Peak...

 

[Esox]

First time ever I have heard of considering very nice landscaping a negative. IN MY MARKET it isn't uncommon to spend $20,000 or more just to have "nice landscaping".

This goes beyond "nice". It struck me initially as landscaping that required never ending upkeep or a large monthly gardening bill. I thought it might be a bit of a hindrance in a subdivision with four years of inventory.

Time to tee it up and battle the squadrons of super mosquitoes. I'll take some big divots to punish the landscaping.

Kevin

FORE

 

[Smokey Bear]

Check out this site - http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/#Benefits

 

[Couch Potato]

This goes beyond "nice". It struck me initially as landscaping that required never ending upkeep or a large monthly gardening bill. I thought it might be a bit of a hindrance in a subdivision with four years of inventory.

Time to tee it up and battle the squadrons of super mosquitoes. I'll take some big divots to punish the landscaping.

Kevin

FORE

That is a factor to consider. Do the native plants encourage development of the native "wildlife."

 

[toddmallard]

If i were the owner and you made this a negative, I would hope that your appraisal has dotted all of the I's and crossed all of the t's, cause the state would have a copy of it. you should be doing what your peers would do. I think you have it all wrong here.

Lets go the other way here. The subject has no landsacaping. Is that a positive? Can't have a negative both ways.

One quick tornado or drought and its all gone anyway. I did an appraisal here in So. Fla. the subjct had a georgously landscaped home. He had spent over $100,000 on exotic palms and Plants. I gave it exactly $0 as an adj. The owner screamed, but the Underwriter and reviewer saw it my way. Landscaping should really never have a negative or positive value. Hardscaping yes. You can't "shouldn't" remove a bathroom or 500 sf from the subject but all of the landscaping could be worthless real quick if the subject owner wants it to.

 

[Josh Shapiro]

First time ever I have heard of considering very nice landscaping a negative. IN MY MARKET it isn't uncommon to spend $20,000 or more just to have "nice landscaping".

A yard with average landscaping will run you between $80-$150 a month for maintenance depending on size. An elaborate yard will run twice that if not more. It COULD have a huge effect on ones consideration in purchase especially in todays market. I personally would rather pay someone to do my yard work. A crew will get my yard done in 30 mins while it takes me an entire Saturday.

 

[Smokey Bear]

Native plants are hardier than exotics, need less water, are tolerant of the local weather, and are usually planted with their full size in mind, so less maintenance. The biggest maintenance is checking your drip lines periodically during the non-rainy season. I've had one of those yards and was actually disappointed because I love to garden and this one didn't need much work. Mulched properly, it will have no weeds and need less water. Companion planting will reduce bugs and native plants are going to be resistant to bugs anyway, so less spraying. What's not to love, except the absense of my favorites - ferns, begonias, fuschias etc, which aren't native to where I live but I grow them anyway.

 

[Mztk1]

My feeling on landscape is "It dies". People who find it very important generally want to do it themselves, and people who find it less important think of the work involved and expense if it is over done. It is my experience that excessively expensive landscaping doesn't in and of inself increase value, but bad landscaping does have a negative influence.

 

[Mike Boyd]

Maybe in Wisconsin where thoughts center on cows, cheese and the GB Packers a la Brett Fahr, gorgeous landscaping would be a negative....I don't know your market. BUT, in the civilized world, first appearances are VERY important. I guess it would have to be marketed in the late spring or summer as the rest of the year it will probably be covered with multiple feet of ice and snow. I would not make a negative adjustment but I would warn your client that grounds maintenance would likely be higher in the summer because of the exotic landscaping.