West Metro Minnesota Real Estate Blog

Congratulations, you’ve completed some important steps toward selling your home. First you selected an experienced local agent, then you worked with that agent to define the updates that will maximize your profit and finally you selected the best list price.

While it may seem like you are ready to list, there is one more action item that remains. Although often missed, it is the single most important step toward helping potential buyers make a connection with your home.

That step is properly staging your home for sale. Staging sets the tone for every showing, open house and opportunity. Getting it right is key to first sparking interest and ultimately converting that interest into action.

Takeaways:

• Staging your home is crucial to making an emotional connection with buyers

• A properly staged home will sell sooner and for more money than one that is not

• Five best practices can help you get started 

1- Build the Right First Impression

When staging it helps to remember that a first impression may be the only one that matters. Within moments of arriving at your home potential buyers will have built that impression and will interpret events that follow accordingly. This means the exterior of your home and entryways should appear tidy and well-maintained.

• Give careful attention to your lawn and landscaping
• Power wash your siding, patio, deck, driveway and walkways
• Use planters to frame your front door and add color to your porch area
• Paint your front door and clear your entryway thoroughly

2- Know that Less is More

Perhaps the largest enemy to highlighting the potential of any home is clutter. Even the most stylish furniture and high-end decor can overpower a sense for the size and usability of a room. This makes decluttering crucial. A good rule of thumb is to remove roughly ½ of all furniture and 90% of everything else from a room.

• Use furniture strategically to highlight the utility of a space
• Consider renting a storage unit, or filling your in-law’s garage with unneeded furniture & furnishings
• Carefully consider which wall-hangings, bookcases and other decor to keep
• Clear kitchen counters of small appliances and clutter

3- Focus on Lighting

The first thing selling agents do when showing a home is open curtains and turn on lights in every room. This is because proper lighting can dramatically impact buyer perceptions. While natural light is preferred, lamps and overhead lighting can and should be utilized as well to highlight your space.

• Replace bulbs in all lamps with the maximum allowable wattage
• Thick draperies and curtains should be peeled back or replaced by sheer window coverings
• Wash all windows thoroughly

4- Depersonalize

The home that sells for top dollar is warm, inviting and welcoming to every type of buyer. Buyers need to build an emotional connection to your home and begin to imagine it as their home. Your personal items can break this illusion.

• Remove all photos, mementos and personal items
• Replace outdated wall coverings and paint walls a neutral color
• Don’t forget the bathrooms. Begin by removing everything-- replace only the basics.

5- Give Every Room and Space a Purpose

While there may be rooms in your home that you rarely utilize, visitors to your open house shouldn’t be able to discern this. Every room in your house has a role to play in selling it. So whether that extra room becomes a spare bedroom, an office, a workout or a craft room, in order to feature it you must give it a purpose.

• Rooms used for storage should be cleaned and repurposed
• A desk or a bed is likely the easiest way to suggest a purpose to a room
• A fresh coat of paint in a neutral color is a must for seldom-used space

The Bottom Line

Properly staging a home need not be onerous or expensive, but it is crucial to conveying to buyers the potential of your home. A seasoned real estate agent will have ideas and a plan to stage any home to maximize profits. Zachary Adams and Associates are experienced professionals who have listed, staged and sold hundreds of homes in the west metro of Minneapolis. They’d love to put the wisdom of experience to work for you. Contact Zach today at 612-845-7890.

When selling a home, few things are as important as finding the correct listing price. Price your home too high and you may see delays, lose leverage and face the stress that comes from inaction. Price it too low and you may be leaving money on the table and feel cheated by the entire process.

Because of this dichotomy of emotions, it imperative that a great deal of thought and research go into your pricing decision. Five tips can help.

Takeaways:

• Properly pricing your listing is crucial to selling your home in a timely manner

• Many factors can impact your listing price

• Five tips can help you reduce your timeline and maximize your sale price 

1- Research the Market

Begin with a search of active listings and recently sold properties in your area that are similar to yours. Consider how your home stacks up with those currently on the market or recently sold.

Remember, many factors can go into pricing a home, well beyond square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Items like home style, updates, timing of listing and location all play a role. Typically by pulling several comparable listings, you can understand a ballpark estimate for your home.

Search sold listings on WestMetroHomeSearch.com

2- Understand Each Price Point & the Competition

Selling a home is unique in that you know exactly who your competition is and have ultimate transparency into price. Use this to your advantage. Armed with a price range for your home that is supported by comparable listings, consider how your listing might fare at various price points that are both high and low. What would make your listing stand out from the crowd? Where might your listing struggle to compete? Remember, round numbers often set buyer expectations regarding updates and what is “move-in ready”. Understand what those are and ensure that you price accordingly.

Get an instant Online Valuation

3- Consult a Professional

The best piece of advice is to hire a professional who knows your area well and has an active business dealing in homes like yours. They will bring a level of objectivity to any pricing discussion that a homeowner can sometimes lack. They will also come armed with comparables, a valuation and justification for the numbers they choose.  A local agent will be well-versed having walked through 100s of home. They will use this knowledge to help you understand not only the market, but your individual home’s selling points and shortcomings. This will include upgrades that can change your number.

4- Prep Your Home for Market with Cost Effective Improvements

By now you should have an idea of the price you plan to ask for your home. Consider carefully other listings at this price point. Your job now is to look critically at your potential listing and address anything minor that could impact your sale price. Your agent can help you determine which updates are both crucial and cost effective. These could involve updating an older home that may be seriously dated, or simply executing minor updates to prep for a sale.

5- Set a Number and Stay Active in Pricing

The final piece of advice is to not let a pricing decision become final. You must remain active in any strategy. Pricing a home is more art than science and being flexible in updating your price and adapting to the market is imperative to selling your home. As you move through this process, an agent can help you understand activity levels, feedback received and how the market may have changed.

The Bottom Line

The best way to get your pricing strategy right is to consult an expert. Zachary Adams and Associates know the West Metro area well and are well-versed in pricing homes that move while also maximizing sale price. A free consultation and walk-through of your home is a great start. Contact us today to get started.

Technology has made great strides in the past 15 years with impacts to our careers, how we build and maintain friendships and even how we date.

Perhaps the largest impact of technology has been to consumers. How we find, select and purchase goods and services is much different today than it was even a few years ago.

In residential real estate these changes are profound. Searching for a home has fundamentally changed. Understanding those changes and incorporating the corresponding upticks can be the key to finding the home of your dreams.

Takeaways:

• Technology has greatly changed how we search for homes

• This has profound impacts for consumers seeking a new home

• Understanding those changes and their implications is key to every successful search

 

Trend 1- Enhanced Searches 

It used to be that searching property listings meant slogging through countless pages of homes that barely warranted consideration in hopes of finding a diamond in the rough.

Today homebuyers can use geo-mapping to target specific neighborhoods and search based on virtually every aspect of a listing. This includes granular info like bedroom size, property tax, lot size and countless others.

This change has at least two major implications. First, with so much data available it makes defining in the correct search criteria imperative.  Secondly with more consumers online, these change have upped the level of competition and put a premium on timeliness of response. Several best practices can help you capitalize.

Tips-

• Speak with a professional to consider every option and refine your wish list
• Work with your agent to define specific search parameters that match your criteria using maps, geo-positioning and advanced search features
• Ask your agent to set alerts and email details when listings that match your criteria appear, so you can act fast and vet them for possible follow-up

Trend 2- Increased Accessibility to Agents

Along with changes to online property searches, another key change has been an increase in engagement and availability of agents. With text, email and cell phones, tracking down your agent or contacting his or her office is now easier than ever. Based on the fast-paced and ever shifting dynamics of the current market a timely response from an agent is now easier than ever and an absolute must-have.

Tips-

• Discuss with any prospective agent what their typical response plan is for client inquiries
• Ask how they handle time out of the office and if staff is available to backfill
• Share the best way to contact you and hold them accountable to your schedule and preferences

Trend 3- Evolution of the Real Estate Agent Role

Perhaps the largest change technology has brought is to the very role of the real estate professional. Gone are the days of an agent primarily aiding in sourcing properties, instead the role today increasingly means vetting those properties, negotiating terms and applying expertise to every phase of the process.

Agents will still help you find a home, but for many tech-savvy searchers, the other considerations have become much more important. This makes finding an experienced agent crucial. The days of agents with metro-wide coverage or a day job adding significant value are over.

Tips-

• Engage with an agent who knows the nuances of your target search area well and has the transactions to prove it
• Ask for references prior to hiring someone and do your homework
• Be clear with any potential agent exactly what you are looking for in terms of support and role, ensure that they are up to the task

A Trusted Partner  

At Zachary Adams and Associates we specialize in tailoring home searches to the needs of each individual client.

We understand technology and the role it can play in a home search and our focus is on meeting the changing needs of our clients by being efficient, effective and fully engaged. We specialize in the west metro of Minneapolis because we know the area well and have 100s of transactions under our belt. If you are seeking a new home in Plymouth, Maple Grove, Minnetonka, Wayzata or the surrounding area, we’d love to sit down and hear what you are looking for in a new home and how we can be a resource for you.

The State Fair is here and that can mean only one thing. Back to school is right around the corner and your summer is fleeting.

If you aren’t quite ready to call it quits on the season, Minnetonka is the place to be for some end of summer fun.  But you’d do well to make haste-- your kids are on the clock.

Five family friendly to-dos before summer 2016 is gone for good.

Minnetonka Farmer’s Market
Minnetonka Ice Arena Parking Lot
14600 Minnetonka Blvd
Every Tuesday 3pm – 7pm through Sept 27th

Fresh fruits and vegetables from around the area our joined by locally sourced honey, baked goods, shaved ice, jewelry and much more. The live music, kettle corn and face painting for the kids make this one of the more popular farmer’s markets in the west metro. 

Burwell House
13209 E. McGinty Rd
Tours Tues, Sat & Sun noon–3 p.m. through 8/30, weekends only after that

Experience life as it was in the late 1800’s by touring the residence and outbuildings of the Charles Burwell family. Tour guides will walk you through the residence and answer questions about daily life, as well as the milling history of Minnetonka. Built in 1883, the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Minehaha Creek Headwaters16501 Grays Bay Blvd

Minehaha Creek’s winding journey from the West Metro to the Mississippi River begins at Gray’s Bay on Lake Minnetonka. For the ambitious, a canoe ride can cover most of the 22 miles. For the rest of us the park offers historical information, walking trails, bike paths and fishing.

Purgatory Park
17315 Excelsior Blvd
Open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

On the southwest corner of Minnetonka sits the largest of the city’s five parks. Purgatory Park covers 155 acres and includes over two miles of crushed limestone walking trails that showcase the unique Minnetonka combination of woodland, prairie and wetlands. The park also offers a rare opportunity to exercise your dogs off leash.

Movies in the Park
Minnetonka Civic Center Campus 
14600 Minnetonka Blvd

Wednesday, Aug. 24: Inside Out
Wednesday, Aug. 31: Jurassic World

Minnetonka’s beautiful amphitheater provides a picturesque backdrop for some cinematic family fun. For two more weeks visitors can meet at dusk and enjoy an outdoor movie experience. Be sure to pack some bug spray, a light jacket and a snack for a fun-filled evening with other area families.

Making Minnetonka Home
The Minnetonka community is truly unique, offering more than 1,000 acres of public open space, wetlands and prairies. It is a suburban oasis that conveniently sits just eight miles west of Minneapolis.

For those interested in more than just a day trip and who may wish to explore calling Minnetonka home, Zachary Adams and Associates have resources to help. Our new Minnetonka City and Neighborhood Page has information on available listings, area demographics and real estate trends. Visit our page to begin your search.

Recently US News and World Reports conducted an extensive statistical analysis of high schools in Minnesota to determine which did the best job of preparing students for the rigors of secondary education. The west metro fared well with six schools recognized in the top 20. 

Schools were ranked based on how they performed versus other Minnesota schools and the nation in college readiness metrics including graduation rates, test scores and ability to reach disadvantaged teens. 

The study delivered gold medals to Orono (#4 overall) and Edina (#7), while silver medals went to Minnetonka (#9), Chanhassen (#11), Wayzata (#13) and Eden Prairie (#19).

Gold Medal Schools- Orono and Edina 

High schools in Orono and Edina rose to the top based largely on an extensive array of Advanced Placement (AP) course offers. Students at both schools have taken advantage of the offerings, delivering impressive numbers in both enrollment in AP coursework and pass rates.

In addition to the AP numbers, Orono and Edina High Schools were also bolstered by strong marks on standardized tests in English and Mathematics as well as favorable student to teacher ratios at around 20:1. 

Silver Medal Schools- Minnetonka, Chanhassen, Wayzata & Eden Prairie

The silver medal group includes three of the four largest high schools in the state with Wayzata (#1 in total enrollment), Eden Prairie (#2) and Minnetonka (#4), proving that bigger can sometimes mean better. Perhaps counterintuitively the two largest high schools in the state actually feature the lowest student to teacher ratios among the six (Wayzata 18:1, Eden Prairie 19:1).

Each of the silver medal schools trailed their gold counterparts only in percentage of students completing AP coursework, but they all fared extremely well on other metrics. Perhaps their best was graduation rate which ranged from 89% (Eden Prairie) to 97% (Chanhassen).

The Bottom Line

Residents of the west metro should take comfort in the track record of the many strong public high schools that are thriving in the area. While these six were featured in the top 20, several others also received high marks including Mound Westonka (#21), Hopkins (#25) and Maple Grove (#36).

With myriad options available via open enrollment, residents of the west metro should have no difficulty in finding a geographically convenient option that is a fit for any student.

While school district remains an important consideration for homebuyers, it is just one of many lifestyle factors to consider when selecting a new home. The best way to find the perfect home is to carefully consider all of these factors together and then refine a custom search to find homes that fit the bill.

Our team is adept at building these searches and making the most of your time for any home search. If it is time for your family to consider your options, please contact us to get started.

The full US News and World Reports study is available here

Your neighbor’s garage is swept and ready. Rows of crock pots will soon line borrowed card tables. This can mean only one thing. The familiar late summer ritual known as National Night Out (NNO) is nearly upon us.

Thinking about skipping?  Think again...

Takeaways:

• National Night Out parties are scheduled for Tuesday, August 2nd

• Across the West Metro neighbors will gather to share dinner and conversation

• Four reasons make it worth your while to attend 

Four compelling reasons to attend your National Night Out.

Connect with Civil Servants
Many NNO events like Plymouth’s Night to Unite and Minnetonka’s A Night For Neighbors include a chance to meet police and fire department personnel and see their equipment up close. Building these relationships can not only be fun for kids, but also give you a chance to discuss any questions or concerns. Police know neighborhood level crime information and can share valuable anecdotal information about your specific area. Knowing how to protect yourself and your property begins by knowing what the threats are.

Establish a Feedback Loop
Living in a community means sharing. That could include lawns that border, school bus stops, parks and city services. This can occasionally lead to issues over time. The only hope you have of effectively navigating challenges is by investing in relationships before trouble arises. While it won’t make it easy, it will make it easier to address items like a messy dog, unkempt lawn or loud party. This also helps when you are the one hosting the loud party, as a friendly text trumps a visit from the police every time.

Enhance Neighborhood Security
Even the best West Metro Police Department lacks the personnel to be a constant presence in your neighborhood. Neighbors can help fill the gaps by serving as an extra set of eyes and ears to recognize unfamiliar vehicles or activity. Identifying anything unusual means a familiarity with what is usual. The best way to create this is with a relationship with neighbors. While these relationships can be greatly enhanced using social media, a great start is a face to face.  National Night Out can serve as that entry point.

Build Multi-Generational Connections
Busy career-minded families typically spend time with other busy, career-minded families. Retirees spend time with retirees. Rare are the opportunities to build relationships with those people outside of our demographic groups. National Night Out is a notable exception. Getting to know the young family down the street or the widow on the corner can not only help when you need to borrow a chainsaw, but also may lead you to recognize the value you might add for someone else. Living in community requires all of us to get out into that community and that starts with neighbors.

The Bottom Line
People are busier than ever, and in the social media age we connect differently than previous generations. Because of this, real connections with neighbors matter more than ever before. They offer a unique chance to be part of a community in a tactile and personal way. This revived focus on community is not only affecting things like National Night Out, but also where we choose to live and why.

Many homebuyers are changing the way they search for a new homes. The days of targeting a large area are over and have been replaced by a new focus on communities and even specific neighborhoods.

Zachary Adams and Associates site is being enhanced to support this new breed of homebuyer by providing both city snapshots as well as neighborhood level detail. Our new city and neighborhood sections include demographic information and customized neighborhood-level real estate reports that show current listings, pending and completed sales.

This provides homebuyers all the information they need to make an informed decision about the next place they choose to call home. Check out our new Plymouth City and Neighborhood Page, and stay tuned for similar pages for Minnetonka, Eden Prairie and Maple Grove.

When downsizing and listing the family home there is no shortage of emotion. Your home has served as more than just your residence, it is full of memories and history.

Successfully transitioning to your next chapter requires you to shift gears from remembering the good times in your home to preparing both the home and yourself for what’s next. This transition can help you not only get top dollar when you sell, but also set the stage for another family begin to build memories of their own there.

Takeaways:

• Preparing a longtime residence for sale can be challenging

• Determining which updates will positively impact your bottom line is paramount

• Several best practices can help 

Any updates prior to sale must carefully balance aesthetics with expense. While all homes are different, a few tips are virtually universal.

Exterior Considerations

Clean or paint your siding
Depending on the current state of your siding, paying someone to paint or power-wash the exterior of your home can prove a sound investment. Simple repairs to soffit and fascia should also be considered.

Address overgrown trees and shrubs
For most this means simple trimming. Depending on how long it has been since this has occurred however this may involve removing entire sections, and new plantings.

Assess your roof
Experts say you can only expect to recoup 60-70% of the cost of a new roof. With a cost of $5,000+, unless there is a significant issue, this is rarely a wise use of capital.

Paint your front door
Simple and probably a little silly, but a door painted in an accent color with new hardware can really make a home pop and create a lasting first impression.

Consider container plants
One simple way to get a fresh landscaping feel without the work is by planting seasonal plants in a few large containers. Use bold colors that complement your home’s exterior. This can help buyers see the potential in your landscaping.

Interior Updates

New carpet and fresh paint
These are an obvious first step and typically a must for at least a portion of your home. Focus on neutral colors and prioritize your investment on entryways, kitchens, bathrooms and common areas.

Light fixtures, switch plates and cabinet hardware
Trends change quickly so these are a quick and easy do-it-yourself project that can greatly impact buyer perception without a large investment.

Affordable flooring options
The right flooring can help transform any space. Laminate flooring can give a variety of looks and has come a long way in the past several years in durability, aesthetic and cost.

Other interior updates
These should be considered carefully. While granite countertops and new cabinets are in demand, an investment in both for the sole purpose of a sale is generally a last resort. Other options exist to dress them up including replacing tile or laminate countertops, or replacing only cabinet doors.

The Bottom Line

When selling, one factor rises above all others. Less important than how your house looks on its own, is how it compares to similar listings in the area.

Only if your home fares well by comparison with similarly equipped and priced homes can you be sure it will be considered by prospective buyers. The best way to ensure that is to engage a resource who has a deep knowledge of your area as well as the competitive landscape.

In the West Metro, Zachary Adams and Associates are that resource. Zach and his staff walk through dozens of homes daily, facilitate 100s of transaction annually and focus exclusively on the homes in and around Plymouth, Minnetonka, Maple Grove and Eden Prairie.

If you are interested in a professional assessment of your home and the updates and upgrades that may impact your bottom line, a free consultation is a great start. A simple 10 minute conversation can help you get started on your next chapter.

Contact Zach at 612.845.7890 to begin the conversation.

“Higher prices squeezing both renters and would-be homeowners” – MPR

”Hot Housing Market: With Low Inventory, Prices Increase”-- KSTP

Recent reports of residential real estate shortages in the Twin Cities have led some to question whether this summer is a good time for a home search. Concerns about finding a new home or the potential of a bidding war have kept many families on the sidelines.  

Is waiting a savvy financial move, or simply buying in to media-fueled alarmism?

Takeaways:

• Residential home inventories are lower than usual for this time of year

• Getting your offer accepted requires attention to detail

• A few best practices can help you get started 

The reality is that spring and summer are the most active real estate seasons every year. Even if listings are off by as much as 20%, the numbers of homes available dwarf those you’ll see later.

The total number of listings and overall activity favor acting now.  While relative inventory is low, there is still plenty of volume to make it worth your while. 

The key to capitalizing in a low inventory environment is to focus on a few key things.

1- Know exactly what you are looking for
It is no secret that an efficient search begins with a clear picture of what you are after, but in a hot market, a laser focus is even more crucial. A good agent will be able to help by asking targeted questions and marrying your answers with his or her knowledge of the area.

What emerges is a clear picture of exactly what you are after-- and where to look for it.

• Engage an agent with deep experience in your search area
• Spend time building a list of must-haves and nice-to-haves for both features and locations
• Build your saved searches carefully
• Know your budget

2- When offering, show up well 
Although it may seem counterintuitive, real estate isn’t always a bottom line business. Sellers confronted with multiple offers often seek out “low maintenance buyers” even if they aren’t the highest in offer price.

Other sellers may have different motivations and act accordingly. Hitting your seller’s sweet spot may require a little extra effort, but can make all the difference.

• Ask your agent to carefully research the nuances of the seller and adapt your approach
• Write an offer free from excessive contingencies (selling existing home, earnest money, inspection timeframe, inclusions/exclusions)
• Come armed with a pre-approval for your mortgage loan

 3- Be flexible
The terms of any sale are always negotiable. A little flexibility by a prospective buyer can be the difference between landing your dream home, and an outright rejection. Again, the key is hiring an engaged buyer’s agent to do their homework to understand what matters to a given seller. By incorporating this into your offer, you can improve your chances.

• Know your seller’s motivation
• Consider a flexible closing date and terms matching your seller’s needs
• Ask your agent to stay engaged even if your initial offer is refused

4- Consider a personal appeal 
There is a clear emotional component to selling a home. Sellers may have built wonderful memories in their homes, the idea of allowing a new family to do the same can be an external motivation that goes beyond dollars and cents.

Anything you can do to make a connection with a potential seller may tip the scales in your favor and could be easier than you think.

• Consider penning a handwritten note to your seller
• Include a picture of your family and outline in the letter what the home would mean to you

Despite the media reports about shortages, the housing market is active and inventory exists at all price points. The important thing to remember in this environment is to focus on the tactics that will help you act fast and make your offer stand out. A strong agent with local expertise can be the catalyst to make this happen.

The warmer weather of spring brings with it some familiar rituals for Minnesotans. Tax return deadlines, the return of the baseball and outdoor activities.  But before the planting and yard work can begin, families typically devote a weekend or two to de-winterizing their homes. 

That’s right it is spring cleaning time, a discipline that typically consists of two distinct but related tasks-- decluttering and deep cleaning.  Both can be helpful if you keep in mind a few tips.

Takeaways:

• Warmer weather has many people thinking about spring cleaning

• To get the most out of this annual rite, a dual focus is required

• A few tips and tricks can help you get started

 

Decluttering 

Stated simply, we all tend to keep too much stuff.

We stare at closets full of clothes and can’t find a thing to wear. Our kids pine for the latest and greatest toy, even as their rooms are impassable and cluttered with last year’s versions.

Cleaning begins with de-cluttering, here’s what to do:  

Set a date for a block-wide garage sale- a simple email to a few other families is all it takes. Be sure to set the date at least 30 days in the future. The deadline and group dynamic will hold you accountable, and you can use the month lead-up to and take action defining what stays and goes.

Tour your crawl space and shed with your spouse- share your secret stash with your significant other. If you rent a storage unit, commit to un-renting it. All are filled with items you likely forgot you had and probably don’t need. Put the small stuff in the sale, and the larger on Craig’s list.

Engage in goal-based closet cleaning- instead of traditional closet cleaning where you assess which clothes you “may” sometimes wear, instead clean your closet with a goal in mind. Commit to filling two trash bags up front and you’ll be better able to prioritize. Make your children do the same.

Deep Cleaning

Annual spring cleaning is a great time to tackle the items you normally may miss. Here are a few reminders of items that need to be addressed at least once per year. 

Prep for porterhouse- take your grill out of storage and give it a quick tune-up. Check the hoses for leaks by liberally applying soapy water (look for bubbles), degrease the grate and clean the exterior with oven cleaner, water and a brush.

Improve your outlook with clean windows- all you need is a sponge, a squeegee (with a long handle) and some warm water with a little dish soap. Paper towels are great for many tasks, but never for windows.

Clear those gutters- get up on a ladder and ensure you begin spring with clean gutters. The rainy season is upon us, water is your enemy and proper drainage is key.

Check your garage- most counties offer hazardous waste drop-off events and locations. Take an annual inventory of your supplies for the coming year and clear your garage of old paint, lawn chemicals, used motor oil and bug killer. Links to drop-off sites are here- Hennepin County , Carver County , Wright County  

If a declutter and deep clean is not enough to make your house feel like home for another year, perhaps it is time to consider other options. Understanding the value of your current home is a good starting point in this process.  

Landscaping is the quintessential driver of curb appeal in suburbia.  This time of year most yards need work.  Luckily the increased daylight hours offer an opportunity to address your property’s issues and ensure usability and aesthetics all summer long. 

Although the inclination to dig in and and get started can seem irresistible, proper planning is a crucial first step.  So whether you are sprucing up for a pending sale, BBQ season, or even a simple upgrade before summer,  spending time on the front end can be the key to avoiding some common pitfalls.

Takeaways:

• Spring landscaping is a cost-effective home improvement project

• With a little effort you can increase the usability and aesthetic of your property

• By planning ahead you can avoid some common mistakes & make the most of your investment

 

Mistake 1- Failure to understand your medium 

The most common miss in landscaping is a failure to understand the nuances of your particular yard.  This is a crucial step in the planning process that is frequently given short shrift if it is considered at all.  

Sunlight, wind and water drainage will each have implications for your project and must be carefully considered, both for usability of the finished product and to support your plant choices.

Aligning the correct plant types with the conditions of your lawn is the key to building a thriving oasis.  Miss on this and you’ll be fighting a losing battle with the elements all year.  

Action item:  Map out your lawn before you begin.  Note the weather characteristics including wind, water drainage and sunlight throughout the day.  Research plants that are suited to the conditions and ensure they fit both their proposed location as well as your vision for the finished product.

Mistake 2- Forgetting about maintenance

Sunlight and weather are but one component of plant selection.  Different plant breeds also require varying levels of maintenance and care.  Don’t let your quest for the perfect aesthetic force you into a burdensome maintenance schedule.  

Consider if you are truly committed to watering, weeding and fertilizing at the level required by a given plant breed.  Also think about the pest implications, are you landscaping or feeding the local deer?  

Action item:  Instead of one trip to the garden store, make two.  One to window shop and one to buy.  Include a trip to the internet between visits to understand each plant choice in terms of common pests, fertilizer and watering schedules.

Mistake 3- Becoming overly ambitious

We’ve all seen home improvement shows that miraculously transform a yard in a single weekend.  While most of us aren’t foolhardy enough to think we can get the same results in that time, we still tend to overestimate our capabilities.

Winter is finally over, we have much pent-up energy and big plans.  We must balance these with the reality of busy weekends, occasional rainy weather and the possibility of a future wane to our enthusiasm.  Failing to do so can leave us with a half-finished projects sitting for weeks on end.

Action item:  Pace yourself.  Build an overall plan for your yard, but break your project into smaller autonomous projects.  Execute these manageable pieces one by one. 

The bottom line

Landscaping is a cost effective way to not only improve the look of your property but also its usability.  Spring may be new to us, but the mild weather will likely stick around.  By pacing yourself and avoiding three main pitfalls you can ensure your family will benefit from your spring projects throughout the year.