With homes sales languishing and more “short sales” becoming the only alternative for homeowners to avoid foreclosure, it takes much more than burying St. Joseph upside down to get a house sold since the bottom fell out of the real estate market.
Realtors encourage sellers to de-clutter homes and basements ”“ perhaps getting out the paint brush to spruce up the interior. The list of people who are helping homeowners “stage” their homes is growing as sellers wait for buyers to come out.
There”™s another potential aid to help get that “For Sale” sign attention. “The first thing people notice is your front yard when they pull up in the Realtor”™s car,” said Mike Yeager, owner of Hickory Hollow Landscaping in Tuxedo.
Yeager, who has been in the landscaping business with his brother Ken for 25 years, says sprucing up the home”™s exterior ”“ whether it is cutting back shrubbery, keeping the lawn mowed or adding some color ”“ can create a good first impression.
“People definitely want curb appeal, and that means more than just the house itself” said Yeager. “First impressions mean a lot to a potential buyer. Before you even walk through the door, if you get a comfortable feeling going in, it”™s a big plus. Once they go into the house, they may not be thrilled with everything they see and want to make changes ”“ but that first impression will remain with them,” said the veteran landscaper.
Selling a home these days is a challenge, acknowledged Yeager. “If you spend a bit to give that potential buyer a positive feeling when they pull into the driveway, it may make the difference between a sale and someone moving on to the next house for sale. What”™s the first thing you notice when you pull into your own driveway?” asked Yeager rhetorically. “Your front yard. It is truly your welcome mat.”
Yeager says he”™s been lucky as far as his industry is concerned. “The Great Recession didn”™t hit us as hard, although we”™ve seen many smaller nurseries go out of business. We are fortunate to have many customers with disposable income who aren”™t going to stop adding or changing landscaping. We have a solid team that has been with us for several years, and we all pitch in and work together.”
The year to date has been a busy one for Hickory Hollow, despite the rainy, chilly weather during most of the spring. “The deer did a lot of damage over the winter,” said Yeager. “We had so much snow, they ate things they normally would not touch, and people are anxious to get their outdoors ready for the season. Wholesalers are busy and don”™t care about the weather. For retail sales, the sun shining usually inspires them to start thinking about planting flowers.”
Yeager empathizes with the plight of the homeowners who are trying to sell their homes to stave off foreclosure proceedings or who are ready to retire and make a move. But waiting for a buyer to come along can be frustrating.   “We”™re happy to work with them,” he said. “A picture of the house will give us an idea of what they can do to spruce it up without spending a fortune. Landscaping can represent up to 10 percent of the value of a home. It”™s worth it to take the time, even if the situation seems dire, to take care of the outside as well as the inside if you don”™t want your home sitting on the market for months.”
For those with money to spend and who love outdoor beauty, landscaping never goes out of style. But for those who want or need to sell their home, “Keep true curb appeal in mind,” is the longtime landscaper”™s advice.
