20 Landscaping Mistakes That Make Home Buyers Walk the Other Way

[] By Rachel Brougham 20 Landscaping Mistakes That Make Home Buyers Walk the Other Way

[] Related article If you’re selling your home or planning to sell, you know you need to make sure everything is in order. Your paint may need touch-ups, carpets should be cleaned, and all your knick-knacks need to be put away. But what about landscaping? Because first impressions can make or break a sale, be sure to steer clear of these 20 landscaping mistakes that can make home buyers walk—or even run—the other way. Your Landscaping Can Help Sell Your Home Landscaping: A Good Investment

[] Sure, man-made ponds and water features can help create a relaxing outdoor space, but they can also attract insects such as mosquitoes. Plus, it takes work to keep them clean and well maintained—work potential buyers might not be up for. Morgan Knull , a broker with Re/Max Gateway, told the Washington Post that buyers are often intimidated when it comes to a water feature’s maintenance, such as dealing with clogged filters and leaky liners. Large Water Features Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 1 /20 Full Article

[] Some invasive plants may look pretty, b ut they are definitely a turnoff for home garden-savvy buyers, since the plants can quickly take over a yard or plot. Invasive varieties often destroy native, more beneficial plants, and can be costl y to control . According to the California Invasive Pl ant Council, in California alone, invasive plants cost the state at least $82 million each year to control. Invasive Plants Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 2 /20 Full Article

[] While the righ t tree can offer shade or some textural contrast in your landscaping, big trees that are too close to the house can be a red flag. Depending on the size and age of the tree, large trees may cause buyers to worry about damage due to fall ing limbs or roots damaging pipes. Plus, tree removal ca n be pricey, with extreme projects costing as much as $2,000, according to HomeAdvisor. Large Trees Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 3 /20 Full Article

[] A healthy lawn can be a plus when selli ng your home, but there can be too much of a good thing. For some potential homeowners, a huge lawn may be overwhelming. Since not all home buyers enjoy doing yard work, big, open lawns may mean an i nvestment in time and energy they just don’t have to offer. Plus, ec o-conscious buyers often prefer native and low-water options. A Huge Lawn Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 4 /20 Full Article

[] A fire pit can be a draw for buyers who love backyard entertaining, but a poorly made fire pit can definitely put off buyers. It also can be a fire hazard. If you have a DIY fire pit in your backyard, make sure it is a safe distance away from any str uctures (at least 10 feet is standard). Y ou’ll also need to make sure you adhere to any city or local government requirements. A Poorly Made Fire Pit Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 5 /20 Full Article

[] Too many annua l flowers may cause buyer s to walk the other way. Since you must buy them each year, annuals can be expensive and a lot of work to maintain—especially for a novice gardener. If you have large flower beds, consider swapping y our annuals for a few native perennial plants or shru bs and mulching to fill in. Too Many Annuals Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 6 /20 Full Article

[] A lawn full of brown urine spots from y our dog could make some buyers think twice, as it may say you don’t bother with upkeep. Spots of dead grass will usually repair themselves over time, but, for a quick fix, Consumer Reports recommends cutting out the dead spot and filling it with plugs cut from a stri p of sod. Dog Urine Spots Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 7 /20 Full Article

[] With more home owners turning to organic ways to keep their landscaping lush and healthy, chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, are big no-no’s for some buyers. Instead of spraying chemicals, there are ways to target c ertain weeds . Aeration works to fight dandelions, whi le corn-gluten meal can help fight crabgrass. Lawn Chemicals Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 8 /20 Full Article

[] Cracks in your home’s concrete patio or walkways aren’t just unsightly, they can be dangerous. They can also be costly to fix, with HomeAdvisor estimating the cost of filling smaller holes or cracks at $100, if you do it yourself. Large r epairs can s et you back up to $20 per square foot. Cracked Concrete Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 9 /20 Full Article

[] Some feel usin g unconventional containe rs adds humor or a unique touch to the yard. Think old tires used as planters or an old clawfoot tub upcycled into a small flower bed. You’ll find some people even use old toilets to hold plants and flowers. Thi s style just doesn't appeal to everyone a nd can be off-p utting. Opt for a little more order and color. Unconventional Containers Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 10 /20 Full Article

[] For those thin king of selling their hom e, a messy or unkempt yard can give potential buyers a bad first impression. For sellers, be sure to mow regularly, weed flower beds, keep the yard clutter-free, and put away toys when not in use. A Messy Yard Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 11 /20 Full Article

[] They may add b eauty to your landscaping , but think twice before adding any high-maintenance trees or shrubs to your landscaping. These require a lot of upkeep and may take their toll if you can’t maintain them. For example, bamboo might s eem like a g reat idea for a zen garden, but the invas ive type can be hard to control. Certain kinds of hedges and fruit trees may need pruning or clipping several times during the year or the need to pick up fallen fruit regularly. High-Maintenance Trees and Shrubs Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 12 /20 Full Article

[] Before you sta rt planting anything, you ’ll want to set a budget since it’s easy to overspend when it comes to landscaping plants and materials. Consider this: Real estate experts suggest spending 5 to 10 percent of the value of your home on landscapi ng. One easy way to cut landscaping costs is to replace some annuals with perennials. Since annuals cost more over time, try putting them in pots near entrances and along walkways. Opt for nati ve perennials in larger flower beds and borders. Overspending on Landscaping Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 13 /20 Full Article

[] You may not ha ve signed up for pests, b ut some plants tend to draw in more pests than others. Fruit trees and bushes, including raspberry bushes and cherry and apple trees, are notorious for attracting pests like ants. In addition, certai n garden veg etables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, pe as, and tomatoe s can attract pesky insects. Pesty Plants Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 14 /20 Full Article

[] Homes that hav e a sloping yard can pres ent quite a challenge when it comes to landscaping. Not only is soil erosion a problem, but maintaining the sloping section of a yard can be a never-ending nightmare. Instead of having nature take it s course, tr y using a slope to your advantage. Break it out in tiers with pavers or large rocks, build a retaining wall, or even try adding some steps to cut down on maintenance and prevent the soil from e roding over time. A Sloping Yard Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 15 /20 Full Article

[] If your landsc ape doesn’t have the righ t drainage, you may be left with a muddy, messy pit for much of the year, not to mention a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Adding downspouts and downspout extensions can certainly help, just make sur e they don’t empty out in an area of your yard that c an easily flood . Adding pea or crushed gravel to encourage drainage can also help. In addition, aerating your lawn, creating a rain garden, and adding w ater-absorbing plants such as globeflowers, violets, and primrose can help with drainage. Improper Drainage Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 16 /20 Full Article

[] When planning your landscaping, conside r how much watering you (and potential buyers) are willing to do. Large flower beds containing annual plants will require much more water than native perennials. Keeping a large, lush, green lawn loo king healthy will require plenty of water in the summ er, as will a l arge vegetable garden. You’ll also want to put a lot of thought into how much watering your landscape will need if you live in an area th at often has watering restrictions in place. Too Much Water Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 17 /20 Full Article

[] If you have pe ts or young children, you ’ll want to steer clear of some poisonous plants. Some common landscaping plants that are poisonous to dogs include gladiolas, daffodils, milkweed, and ivy. Plants such as rhododendron, Lily-of-the-v alley, and h ydrangeas are popular and are known to be poisonous to h umans. Poisonous Plants Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 18 /20 Full Article

[] Nobody wants t o see rotting landscape f eatures such as crumbling retaining walls or rotted flower or garden bed boxes as they can be both unsightly and dangerous. Depending on the severity of the damage, you may be able to fix some retain ing walls yo urself, or you may need to hire out for t he project. Oft en, you can replace flower and garden boxes yourself. Damaged Landscape Features Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 19 /20 Full Article

[] Be sure to giv e your landscape color pa lette some consideration before you start planting. The best way to do this is by using color theory, which is a collection of guidelines designers use to create appealing color schemes. For example: Houses in n eutral colors can be easy to work with si nce nearly any color flower will complement beige, gray, and brown backdrops. Lacking a Color Palette Photo: istockphoto.com Previous Next 20 /20 Full Article

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