Increasing Your Curb Appeal & Home Value with Landscaping
LOUISIANA REALTORS • October 10, 2017
Mowing the yard, weeding flowerbeds, and trimming trees may seem like mundane tasks, but they can actually put money in your pocket. By maintaining your lawn and keeping the exterior of your home looking fresh you’ll enhance not only your curb appeal, but also your property value. This is especially true if your home is on the market, or you’re considering selling. Here are a few landscaping tips that can go a long way in impressing potential buyers.
Add New Mulch
Adding new, fresh mulch is an easy, fast, and cheap way to instantly reinvigorate your yard. Applying a few fresh bags in your flowerbeds will make everything really standout.
Plant Colorful Plants
This is another affordable option when it comes to sprucing up the outdoors. The contrast in colors will be very appealing to the eye and get the attention of potential homebuyers. Also the appearance of fresh flowers provides a great first impression and insinuates that people are visiting a well maintained and cared for home.
Pressure Wash
Driveways, sidewalks, fences, siding, and other surfaces all bear the brunt of a harsh Louisiana climate. Scorching heat, rainy downpours and more all take their toll on these surfaces that can make them look dingy and rundown. Pressure washing can remove those layers of mold, mildew, and grime; showing off a glistening, fresh, new appearance.
Shape Trees and Shrubs
Anytime of the year in Louisiana it’s a good idea to trim and shape your trees and shrubbery, regardless of if you’re selling or not. Debris from these plants can wreak havoc during a storm. However if you are selling, and you have addressed your landscaping, ignoring this part can sabotage all of your work. Trimming limbs, clearing leaves and tidying up bushes can make a good yard look great.
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These are only a few tips on how to spruce up your landscaping, and in turn spruce up your selling price. Entrusting the sale of your home to a REALTOR®
can help you get the most from the sale of your home. A REALTOR’S® market knowledge and resources can help you understand and know what buyers are looking for and what other homes are offering sellers, so you’ll know what to focus on when it comes to putting that sign in the yard.
From the Louisiana Department of Insurance: Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple joined Governor Jeff Landry and Senate Insurance Committee Chairman Kirk Talbot today to announce that Louisiana is investing an additional $20 million in Fortified homes, bringing the total amount invested in state Fortified projects this year to $100 million. Governor Landry announced that $20 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be transferred to the Louisiana Office of Community Development Restore Resilient Opportunities for Overhead Fortification (Restore ROOF) program to strengthen residential structures and reduce long-term disaster risk. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed a bill that allows $50 million in additional Katrina and Rita bond money from Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to be added to the Department of Insurance’s Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP). Also beginning this year, LFHP is projected to receive approximately $30 million annually from taxes and fees the Louisiana Department of Insurance collects from the insurance industry. “Building stronger homes is a vital part of making homeowners insurance affordable in Louisiana,” said Commissioner Temple. “I appreciate Governor Landry’s leadership and support as we work with legislators like Chairman Talbot to make Louisiana a national leader in the adoption of Fortified roofs.” The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) has finalized its promulgation of Regulation 136—Fortify Homes Premium Discounts. The purpose of Regulation 136 is to implement the statutory provisions set forth in La. R.S. 22:1483, et seq. , which require that all Louisiana property and casualty insurers provide premium discounts or insurance rate reductions for homes constructed or upgraded in accordance with the fortified standards created by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. View Regulation 136 here .
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