Outdoor living
The curb appeal might win you over the moment you pull up to a home. But buyers need to look at a home’s yard with the same detailed focus that sellers use to pull off that impressive, well-manicured lawn.
Beneath the canopy of trees or an immaculate garden could be much-needed repairs and maintenance that could increase your cost to buy a home or to maintain the yard throughout the year.
“The first thing I would recommend is don’t look at the flowers, because that’s exactly what the seller has just done to entrance you. Instead, you need to be very unemotional and start analyzing the site,” said Deb Harrison, owner of Habersham Gardens, an independent garden center in Atlanta.
Here are key areas to examine for potential problems.
Driveway and walkways
The driveway’s position, whether to the side, front or back of the home, might be exactly where you want it. But check for cracks in the driveway or uneven spots in all the sidewalks. Harrison said those could indicate that tree roots are poised to break through the concrete, bringing potential repair costs.
Trees
If there are large trees, Harrison recommends having the property checked out by a certified arborist.
“I would want to know if those trees are healthy,” she said. “The last thing you want is to buy a property and find out you’ve got to drop three enormous trees at $5,000 a piece.”
Mark Livingston, an ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) certified arborist, works with real estate agents to inspect homes before a sale. A free assessment by an arborist should look for anything that could be hazardous to the home and an issue for buyers, said Livingston, with Arborguard Tree Specialists, based in Avondale Estates.
The most expensive problem is when buyers need to remove a tree, which Livingston said could cost $7,000-$8,000 for a large oak tree.
“I’ve seen the removal of a tree hang up closings, and even people have pulled an offer because of trees,” he said.
Other common problems in Atlanta are root rot (or rotted decay in the tree) and branch dieback, where the limbs are alive but the outer portion has died off, which is common if roots have been cut or dug.
The annual cost for a homeowner to have roots and other trees maintained could be $300-$400, Livingston said.
In addition to the health of the trees, buyers should consider whether they are too close to the house, which could pose a danger during storms. If a dominant tree is less than 5 feet from a home, it needs to be addressed, Livingston said.
If branches are near or are draping over the roof, they could be creating a pathway for squirrels to get into the home.
“That’s a perfect bridge for critters to get into the attic,” Harrison said. “They don’t like to be outdoors in the winter, so they’re going to find a way into your attic if they can.”
The type of trees potentially can impact your utility costs. If the trees are evergreen, they will keep your house dark in the winter, which means you will need to have the heat running and lights on throughout the day, Harrison said.
Plants and flowers
An intricate or oversize garden or multitude of plants could make a yard more high maintenance than a buyer wants to invest in. Harrison said that when a Buckhead seller she knows removed an elaborate boxwood garden, the home finally sold, after years on the market.
“You have to really think from the buyer’s perspective and say, ‘Does this look like a lot of money to keep up? Am I going to have to spend $2,000 every six months to change out the flowers to keep it looking like this? If I don’t, will it look barren because there’s this flower bed with no flowers in it?' ” Harrison said.
