6 Landscaping Tricks That Wow Buyers

In today's market, sellers have to work harder to persuade buyers that their property is worth the bite.


Landscape designer Michael Glassman has cooked up a recipe for guaranteed curb appeal.

1. Add splashes of color. With every changing season, a landscape should provide a new display of colors, textures, and fragrances. "It’s best to use one or two and repeat them," Glassman says. Example: white iceberg roses that bloom in spring, summer, and fall as a backdrop; in front, a contrasting punch of purple salvia or lavender that will flower at the same time; and as an accent, a crape myrtle tree that provides changing leaf colors in fall and interesting branches come winter.

2. Size trees and shrubs to scale. These should be planted in the right scale for the house so that they don’t block windows, doors, and other architectural features on the home’s facade. A large two-story house can handle a redwood, Chinese pistache, sycamore, or scarlet oak, but a one-story cottage is better paired with a flowering cherry, crabapple, or eastern redbud. Too many trees cast too much shadow and cause potential buyers to worry about maintenance and costs.

3. Maintain a perfect lawn. A velvety green lawn demonstrates tender loving care, so be sure sellers’ homes don’t have brown spots. Some rocks, pebbles, boulders, drought-tolerant plants, and ornamental grasses will generate more kudos, especially in drought areas.

4. Light up the outside. Good illumination allows buyers to see a home at night and adds drama. Sellers should use low-voltage lamps to highlight branches of specimen trees, a front door, walk, and corners of the house. But less is better. The yard shouldn’t resemble an airport runway.

5. Let them hear the water. The sound of water appeals to buyers, and you shouldn’t just reserve this for your backyard. A small fountain accented with rocks provides a pleasant gurgling sound, blocks street noise, and is affordable.

6. Use decorative architectural elements. A new mailbox, planted window boxes, and a low fence wrapped in potato vines add cachet, particularly during winter months when fewer plants blossom. Colors should complement the landscape and home. Just don’t overdo it: Too much can seem like kitschy lawn ornaments.

Source: Michael Glassman, landscape designer, Michael Glassman and Associates, Sacramento, Calif., www.michaelglassman.com

Survey: Households Say Now Good Time to Buy

More than three-quarters (78 percent) of potential first-time home buyers say that now is a good time to buy a home, despite widespread concern about the economy.

Out of the 1,000 prospective U.S. first-time home buyers surveyed in early March for the CENTURY 21 First-Time Home Buyer Survey, 68 percent think now is a better time to buy than six months ago.

Prices are the driving motivation for potential first-time home buyers with more than eight of ten first-time home buyers (85 percent) saying they consider current home prices affordable and 73 percent citing that taking advantage of current prices is a major factor in their decision to buy.

Interestingly, potential first-time buyers are still split between “being willing to consider an offer now” (42 percent) and “waiting for prices to go down before they seriously consider making a purchase” (48 percent).

“Current pricing, rates and incentives, such as the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, provide tremendous opportunities for first-time home buyers to get into the market,” said Tom Kunz, Century 21 Real Estate president and CEO. “Our research shows that while consumers still have concerns about the future of the economy, many are actively considering their options as we move into the spring selling season.”

Among the survey’s other key findings:

• Bargains in the marketplace are providing additional options for buyers to consider. 56 percent of potential first-time home buyers are considering purchasing a foreclosed or short sale home, and 63 percent are open to purchasing either a “fixer-upper” or “as-is” home.

• When asked to rate the features that they look for when choosing a home, price is the primary consideration with 87 percent saying this feature is “very important,” followed closely by neighborhood safety (80 percent) and the condition of the home (71 percent).

• Having enough money for a down payment is a top concern of potential first-time home buyers as nearly half (46 percent) said they are “very worried” about the issue.

• Most respondents (86 percent) are in the market for single family homes.

Source: Century 21

'Psychological' Blueprint Helps House Hunters

Environmental psychologist Toby Israel, author of a new book, Some Place Like Home: Using Design Psychology to Create Ideal Place, says people’s childhood homes have a profound effect on what kinds of homes they like best.

Before anyone buys, builds, rents or remodels, Israel believes they should consider what kinds of living spaces satisfy them, she says.

One exercise she recommends for anyone searching for a home is to draw a timeline of all the places they've lived for six months or more and circle those that they liked the best, then describe why. She calls the result a "design psychology blueprint" that can help a real estate professional identify what a client really wants.

Source: Star-Tribune, Jim Buchta (03/14/2009)

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We are Growing

Now is your chance to join The Grant Hickman Team. We are offering a unique opportunity for a qualified individual to strengthen our team. If you believe you have the drive, attention to detail, and customer service we are looking for, please contact me directly at realestate@granthickman.com.

Low Cost Mortgage Program Helps Buyers, Sellers and Neighborhoods

What do you think of this–buying a home with an interest rate one percent below the current rate; no closing costs; no income restrictions and no points. With the current instability in the housing market, this may seem to fit in the too-good-to-be-true category.

But, it is true. The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), a non-profit homeownership and advocacy organization offers this type of loan. Founded in Boston in 1988, NACA has been in the forefront of getting people into homes with mortgages they can afford. The group works with major lenders and has $10 billion in funding commitments to finance and re-finance mortgages. And, part of their mission focuses on building strong, healthy urban and rural neighborhoods, helping to stabilize the housing market.

This is a legitimate, safe opportunity to own a home that you can afford, and I can help you achieve that goal. More features of this program include:
• No down payment. However, paying one percent of the mortgage up front reduces the interest rate by .25%, a tremendous benefit.
• Perfect credit history is not required. NACA loans are based on individual credit history and positive intent to be financially responsible.
• No fees or private mortgage insurance. These costs are paid by the lender.
• Workshops and counseling. Potential mortgage holders attend a workshop to learn about this program in depth and then work with a counselor to assure success.
• Residency. Buyers must live in the home during the life of the loan. However, you can sell the property.

The aim of this program is to help people get into home ownership with fixed rate mortgages, reasonable interest rates and affordable monthly payments. Consequently, NACA programs also help homeowners who want to sell their property now.

Whether you want to buy or sell a home, I’m available to explain the NACA requirements and facilitate a mortgage that makes you comfortable. Give me a call and we’ll talk about NACA loans.

Learn more about Buying a home in St. Charles and St. Louis Counties by visiting our website.

Your Home Buying Experience

Q: Please introduce your family?
A: Brian & Rachel Yost (and girls)

Q: Where is your new home located?
A: Ballwin, MO / Parkway West School District

Q: Describe your situation when you decided to purchase your home
A: Our goal was to move closer to the Christian school where our girls were going to attend. We originally found a house we liked and were moving forward without an agent. However, that deal fell through and we were racing against the clock to find another house. We wanted to be moved in before the girls started school. One of Grant's team members, Cary Knobbe, spent numerous hours helping us locate another house. We wouldn't have gotten through it without him. He was patient, insightful and kept us laughing (which we needed from time to time).

Q: What concerns/fears did you have about buying a home?
A: Our major concern was finding the right house, especially after the deal fell through with a house that we thought was the one. We didn't want choose a house because we had to. We wanted to make sure it was the right one. In the end, we found the perfect house.

Q: How did The Grant Hickman Team help you work through those fears/concerns?
A: Grant's team helped us stay focused by reminding us what our top priorities were in a house.

Q: What was the best part of your home buying experience?
A: The best part of our home buying experience was the ability to call them anytime with questions/concerns. I wanted an agent who I could call anytime. The Grant Hickman Team was very receptive and responsive to all of our needs/wants. Also, Grant and his team have a great process in place and are very detailed oriented. They kept track of things so we didn't have to.

Q: Would you use The Grant Hickman Team to buy or sell a home in the future?
A: Yes. We would consider using the Grant Hickman Team again. We felt extremely comfortable with them. Toward the end, we felt like family.

Visit The Grant Hickman Team online to search homes in the St. Louis area.