Ask a homeowner about her new backyard dining area and she’ll probably shrug her shoulders as if it’s no big deal. And it’s not — at least, not yet. But if she’s patient, it should be. When? When a sluggish housing market snaps awake from its lengthy slumber.
The toughest home-selling market in years has prompted owners nationwide to look for ways to beautify their property rather than try to sell it.
Leave it to Texas to spark a trend.
Landscape designer Mark Funderberk, president of Dallas-based LandPatterns Inc. notes that a busy summer season has, in the Lone Star State, already begun; customers are investing in their homes.
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Annalisa Russell-Smith | Staff Teresa Mello, owner of Dreamscape Exteriors LLC at home in Plainville. “This is my dream,” she explains, “I wanted something relaxing and I wanted a waterfall. I’ve planted things I love. I build dreams for my clients, so I wanted my own too.” 06.06.12 for 06.10.12
“They know that when the market changes, they’re going to have an attractive [property],” Funderberk told NBC News. “Their house will be worth what they’re asking.”
When selling isn’t the best option, homeowners turn to landscaping. An outdoor living room with sound system and hidden TV are popular options.
Ask Teresa Mello of DreamScape Designs, LLC in Plainville. When she bought her own home, she landscaped the property, knowing this would increase the resale value whenever she decides to sell.
Mello says she has been working 13 hours a day plus weekends installing water features and building patios.
“I’m too busy to take a vacation,” she says.
Peter Wojtusik Nursery and Garden Center, Bristol, has also been working around the clock. Outdoor kitchens are becoming popular in the Greater Bristol area. His projects range from $900 to $25,000 — for a patio with a fire pit.
Wojtusik says his customers are also investing in bright, colorful flowers for their gardens. About 50 percent of his work is maintenance. This keeps his 12-man staff busy. He says it bothers him to see shrubs he’s planted trimmed into ugly balls or squares.
Most of the clients for his 58-year-old family business are residential.
Dawn Prentiss says she and her husband plan on selling their home in Bristol when the market picks up and she credits Wojtusik for his landscaping work.
“Three of our four sons have grown up and out.”
She stands on the patio of her rambling colonial-style home watching Wojtusik’s crew clear downed trees from last October’s storm.
“We no longer need all this space.”
With a sluggish home-sale market, the Prentisses’ goal is to maintain and upgrade their property. They have been Wojtusik’s customers since 1992 when he installed their sprinkler system.
“Peter does what he says he’ll do,” she says. “His men are courteous; they pick up after their work. They recently repaired our front lawn and gave it curb appeal.”
Not every landscape designer is riding the crest of the home improvement wave. Some have become targets of a distressing practice. The homeowner asks the landscaper for an estimate, jots down prices and desired improvements. Then he thanks the landscaper and says he’ll get back to him about the job. Instead, he takes the estimate to Home Depot, buys the cheapest products and hires someone looking to make a buck.
Michael Zalewski of Zalewski Landscaping in Plymouth has been down this road too often.
“I can’t,” he says, then checks himself. “I won’t compete with guys with no insurance, tooling around in their rusty pickup trucks.”
Zalewski concedes that lawn care guys are getting by. If he and his crew are asked to mow a lawn and the price is right, he’s your man. Still, he says he wants everyone to know he didn’t become a landscaper 40 years ago to mow lawns.
Scott Whipple can be reached at (860) 225-4601, ext. 319, or swhipple@centralctcommunications.com
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Statistically, most first-time home owners only live in their first home five years or fewer. Want to boost the resale value of your home? Start with curb appeal. Here are five landscaping ideas you might consider:
n Plush lawns: The most valued-added feature of a home’s curb appeal is a plush, well-manicured lawn. Find out the variety of grass that grows best in your area, then feed (fertilize) and water your lawn regularly.
n Seasonal colors: Plant perennial plants and flowers that grow continually and blossom each year. Add short-lived flowers (annuals) each spring for additional color.
n Trees and shrubs: Well-placed trees and shrubs can have a positive effect on a home’s exterior. Check with your local nursery to determine which trees grow best where you live.
n Consult with a landscaping designer: Develop a master plan tailored to your property. Do the landscaping improvements yourself or retain a landscape designer.
n Pavers and Stepping Stones: Design a walkway through your yard or garden using slate stones or colorful pavers. Add a small bench to create a quiet retreat for reading or meditation.
Information courtesy of AmeriFirst Home Mortgage
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