Homes with lawns and landscaping that look beautiful not only make homeowners proud, but this manicured appearance adds value too. Literally. Beautifully designed and tended outdoor spaces produce a strong return on investment that homeowners love — whether you’re planning to sell your home or not.
Designing, installing, and maintaining your home’s landscaping and lawn doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. Our team at ProActive Landscaping has years of experience in creating stellar outdoor spaces that blend greenery, hardscaping, outdoor lighting and other lovely details. We’ll make your home’s landscaping stand out so you get the most out of your outdoor spaces.
Here are some of our favorite insights and tips about the added home value you’ll enjoy from landscaping done right.
First Impressions Matter
Other things being equal, a house that looks beautiful when visitors pull into the driveway is seen by homebuyers as being worth more. Like a fresh coat of paint, well maintained lawns and landscaping create a strong first impression. Lovely outdoor details make the home look well cared for, inviting, and desirable.
Landscaping Offers a Strong Return on Investment
When you’re considering improvements that add substantial home value, it’s worthwhile to install and maintain an attractive landscaping design.
- Affordable — What you invest in creating and caring for lawns, trees, and flowers can be relatively affordable.
- Immediate — With landscaping upgrades, you’ll see an immediate increase in your home’s value — as much as 20% higher.
- Comparable — The boost in value is similar to what you receive from other top home improvements such as a bathroom or kitchen remodel.
- Convenient — Since any landscaping work is happening outside, you can make these improvements without disturbing your home’s inside comfort.
- Lasting — As greenery matures, its beauty becomes more striking, which means well-maintained landscaping only adds more value over time.
Tips for Great Landscaping Designs and Lawn Care
To make the most of your grass, trees, bushes, flowers, pathways, outdoor lighting, and other aspects of your landscaping, we recommend taking these 6 steps:
1. Assess existing landscaping.
Before you make any changes to your outdoor spaces, consider what you already have to work with.
- Are there areas of your yard that you love and want to maintain?
- Are there areas that appear lackluster or bare?
- What stands out as something in need of attention — uneven lawn, flower beds that are hard to see from the curb, or trees in need of trimming?
- Is your outdoor lighting lacking?
- Is it hard to navigate from the street to your front door?
You don’t have to do this assessment alone. A pro landscaper can determine the health of your trees and hedges, recommend flowers and greenery that thrive in Tulsa, and more.
2. Decide on your design.
It’s tempting to make small changes year by year. But it’s important to always work with an overall visual design for your outdoor spaces in mind. Otherwise, you’ll risk wasting your investment by adding elements that don’t match well and don’t give you the most value for your efforts.
Instead, think ahead so you can achieve a cohesive, manicured appearance that you can be proud of.
- Browse gardening magazines for ideas and the latest trends.
- Chat with your local home and gardening store employees for advice.
- Consider making an investment upfront by bringing in a landscape designer to plan out a look that emphasizes the unique features of your home.
3. Use mature plants.
If you plan to sell your home within a few years, investing in mature plants is a good idea. The more sizable those hedges and flower beds look, the more your yard will look well cared for. And homebuyers will notice and have confidence that every inch of your home, inside and out, is receiving that same level of care.
In addition, mature plants provide rich colors, full leaves, and ideal heights for making your home’s architectural features stand out. Even if you’re not planning to sell your home anytime soon, the attractiveness of mature plants gives you an immediate boost in curb appeal.
4. Keep your lawn lush.
Landscaping can involve a lot of details, but don’t neglect the basics. Simply tending your existing outdoors spaces goes a long way to creating consistent beauty.
- Mow the lawn regularly. Fresh trimmed grass always looks attractive.
- Fertilize grass and plant seed or add sod in bare areas to ensure the lawn is filled in nicely.
- Trim trees and bushes regularly so they look manicured. This also allows you to remove dead branches that would otherwise fall and make your yard look cluttered.
- Rake leaves and bag them promptly for disposal.
- Lay mulch to keep flower beds looking neat and visually appealing.
- Hire someone to perform lawn care so you can relax and enjoy your home.
5. Set your budget.
Naturally, when you’re installing new landscaping features such as outdoor lighting, pathways, flower beds and pergolas, there’s an initial investment cost to consider. Your landscaper can help you choose a design that fits both your desired aesthetic and budget.
Beyond that, remember to factor into your home budget the cost of regular, reliable lawn and landscaping maintenance — so you can keep your outdoor spaces looking attractive long after the greenery and hardscaping are first installed.
6. Hire a professional.
It takes time, effort, skill, and expertise to create unique landscaping designs that bring out the best in your house and add long-term value. Why not save yourself the stress of trying to do it yourself? Bring in an expert who knows the climate and plants in your area, understands how hardscaping and greenery work together, and more?
At ProActive Landscaping, we’re proud to provide beautiful outdoor spaces to homeowners in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, and the surrounding areas. When you want to see the home value your landscaping can give you, we’re here to help. See our customer reviews, and be sure to visit our gallery of completed projects so you can begin dreaming about the landscaping you desire.
