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Chattanooga: Experts say dressing up yard draws potential buyers into the home

By: Jason Reynolds
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Chattanooga homes typically have less landscaping than the national average, which can hurt at resale time, one expert says.

Nationally, 10 percent to 12 percent of a home’s value is in the landscaping, on average, said Marty Hilliard, president of Home & Lawn Care Services Inc. in Hixson. In Chattanooga, landscaping typically represents 5 percent to 7 percent of a home’s value, she said.

Contractors building a house typically have small landscaping budgets of $750 to $1,500, Ms. Hilliard said.

“You would be surprised at how much more traffic a home with landscaping gets than one that doesn’t have it,” Ms. Hilliard said. “With home sales being slower, it can make a difference.”

Mike Reed, one of the developers of The Village at Frawley Lake, says he spends about $4,000 to $5,000 per townhouse on landscaping at the East Ridge subdivision.

Staff Photo by Jason M. Reynolds
Liane Rodriguez cuts hydrangeas at Home & Lawn Care Services Inc. Landscaping can enhance a home’s value, experts say.

“It pays such good dividends,” Mr. Reed said. “It changes the look of the home. I think that landscaping adds dramatically to the curb appeal.”

David Gardner of Metro Lawn Care said nice landscaping gives people the perception that a homeowner has maintained the home well or that a builder has done a good job with the construction.

“A lot of people determine that if they paid attention to the detail of the landscaping, the home is sound,” Mr. Gardner said.

One real estate broker said she agrees.

“Curb appeal is everything,” said Alison Robinson, residential broker for Coldwell Banker Hamilton & Associates. “People look at the outside of a house, and if it doesn’t look presentable, they won’t go in because they think it looks the same. You can have a nice house inside with no curb appeal and it won’t sell.”

Mr. Reed said that he plans to add more landscaping to The Village at Frawley Lake, and he is consulting with a nursery on the type of vegetation that’s needed.

“We need more summer color in the beds,” he said. “It’s very important that you put the right plant in the right place.”

As a home’s landscaping layout changes, the irrigiation system should change, said Port Raulston of Rain Dance Property Solutions. Irrigation systems should be designed for a yard’s unique character and the specific types of vegegation, he said.

“Know what kind of landscaping you’re going to do before you design the system,” he said.

Ms. Hilliard says she does occasional business with real estate agents who want to give their listings extra punch. Other times, she works with the homeowner directly. She does a consultation, which includes hours of planning how a yard can be turned into an asset for the homeowner, she said. She provides her client with a detailed draft to scale indicating the types and quantities of vegetation being used, as well as the locations they will be planted. The homeowner may hire her company to create the landscape, or do the work himself, Ms. Hilliard said.

Homeowners who have had their yards professionally landscaped in the past should make sure the vegetation is maintained on a regular basis, she said. And, landscaping should be redone every 10 to 15 years to keep it looking fresh, she said.

And, maintaining the landscaping you have installed is crucial, Mr. Raulston siad. A well-maintained landscape will help a house for sale stick out from competitors, he said.

“That’s the first thing you see when you drive by,” Mr. Raulston said. “If you have five homes in a neighborhood for sale, the one with the nice, green plush yard and shrubs will attract more attention.”

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