1. Planting trees too close to the home.
Homeowners may not realize how big a tree will grow as it matures and plant it too near the property. “Plant them several feet away from your home so their limbs won’t rub against your home,” Melissa Okabe, a real estate professional at Alta Properties in Los Angeles, told Apartment Therapy. “Overhanging limbs can also damage the roof, and spreading roots might damage the foundation.”
2. Failing at good yard care.
Yards require upkeep. “Sellers should always trim and thin trees and bushes so the home is the focal point,” says Nick Meyer, a real estate pro with EQ1 Real Estate in San Jose, Calif. They should “pull weeds, mulch the flower beds for a clean aesthetic, and add a pop of color with flowers, especially in areas that can accent the front door and walkways. It should all be done in a manner that is substantial enough to not look like a quick-flipped property.”
3. Not following the terrain.
Another common mistake real estate pros see is owners who are new to an area will plant what they like or grew up in their yards, not taking into account their new location. “The biggest mistake I see people make with landscaping is trying to create what they had ‘back home,’” Tamara Heidel, a broker at Heidel Realty in Las Vegas, told Apartment Therapy. “To compensate for the dry climate, I have seen people ‘plant’ fake flowers. Fake grass has become very popular here too. Embracing the desert with all its natural beauty can be tough for people coming from a greener environment, but your yard should fit into the landscape.”
View more common mistakes that real estate professionals most often see at Apartment Therapy.
Source: “7 Landscaping Mistakes Real Estate Agents See All the Time,” Apartment Therapy (June 2019)
