A guide to Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area real estate, rentals and lifestyle
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Spring has sprung. Even when our winter temperatures historically hit a balmy 60 degrees, April showers, May flowers and longer days of Lowcountry sunshine always bring a smile. Spring is a happy time in real estate markets too. ere's lots of home buying and selling going on beginning when winter ends. e National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports sales activity between February and March typically increases by 34 percent while prices rise by 3 percent. April home sales on Hilton Head typically produce even more impressive gains. If you're in the market for your island escape this spring, turns out first impressions are as important for houses as they are for people. at first glance when you pull up to the property can set the tone for the remainder of the showing. A well landscaped home gives a property a sense of place and value. If you are considering selling, good landscape design can add up to 20% of value to your home, a figure that rivals the return on a new bath or kitchen. In fact curb appeal is important to 71 percent of homebuyers when choosing their abode, according to a survey by NAR. LANDSCAPING BASICS e American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recommends that homeowners invest 10 percent of the home's value in landscaping. Landscape architecture goes beyond plantings, or soscaping, to include structural features like lighting, fences, garden paths, fire pits, swimming pools, and ponds. Outdoor rooms, terraces, and decks are also high-yield structural or hardscaping investments. Pools and decks are high ticket improvements, but remember your welllandscaped home has a significant price advantage over a home with no landscaping. On average, this advantage ranges from 5.5 percent to 12.7 percent depending on the type of landscaping and the home's original value. For example, that translates into an extra $16,500 to $38,100 in value on a $300,000 home. From new hanging baskets, to backyard fountains, window boxes and trees, to decks, outdoor fire pits and new turf, where does a homeowner begin? LANDSCAPE TIPS & TRICKS 1. Have a plan. Don't clutter the entire yard with various high-maintenance plantings, but also don't plant plain grass with no landscaping. A good foundation design along with a couple of well- positioned points of interest is a good place to start. 2. e ideal landscape has a good mixture of shrubs and perennials, but it doesn't have one of every kind of plant. It has a uniform look with just enough diversity to make it interesting. 3. Achieve seasonal balance. An abundance of spring flowers can leave a blank slate for the remaining three seasons. Design your landscaping to be attractive all year. 4. Plant trees. In one study, living on a tree-lined street added between 10 to 15 percent to the sale price compared to neighborhoods with fewer trees. Trees also remove carbon dioxide and pollution from the air, their shade helps keep neighborhoods and homes cooler and more pleasant, which in turn cuts air conditioning costs. Trees are also a stress reliever. 5. If you have a lawn, edge it. Lush green grass sells. e clean look of an edged lawn gives it an easy-to-maintain look. Edging also shows prospective buyers how meticulous you have been concerning the property's upkeep, both inside and out. 6. Match your landscape to your home's style. If you have a Cape Cod cottage, a Japanese garden would be out of place. If you have a rustic-styled home, incorporating wooden elements in your landscape is a great option. If you have lots of stone on your exterior finish, incorporate stone paths or pool surrounds in your hardscape. e goal is to create balance for the eyes. 7. Add a walkway, new outdoor furniture or screen a porch. Outdoor living is extremely popular in the Lowcountry. Homeowners increasingly enjoy bringing the outdoors in and soaking in nature while still being in the comfort of their own home. 8. Avoid straight lines and hard corners. Why? Great landscaping is a journey for the eyes. Straight lines are not natural in nature. While some lines may look visually appealing, incorporating too many can produce an unnatural look. For hardscaping, create curved pathways and for soscapes, plant flowers in a natural-looking curved line. Your yard will appear more natural increasing the visual appeal and importantly, the value of your home. For more information on Hilton Head home buying and building, connect with Lynne Anderson at 843.384.5426, or email lynneriggsanderson@gmail.com. Many thanks to local awardwinning Architect J. Terry Rosser at 843.384.8301 for insight into the building process today. By Lynne R. Anderson REALTOR, Accredited Buyers Rep Sea Pines Real Estate at the Beach Club Plant a Flower Today. Sell a House Tomorrow. 35