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We’ve all heard the term “curb appeal.” Your home’s landscape can affect its value either positively or negatively. The team at Bell Outdoor wants you to understand the importance of horticultural sound design, installation, proper maintenance, and the impact all elements have on curb appeal when selling or renting real estate. Think of it as marketing your home from the outside.
The purpose of your landscape and outdoor space is to create an environment for your personal enjoyment as well as to enhance the curb appeal which increases the value of your home. According to statistics, good landscape design can increase the market value of a home as much as 10-12%.
Lawn and Landscape Magazine estimates that appraisal value can increase 5-25% with quality landscaping. An appraiser takes a “holistic approach,” so it’s more than just itemized features of landscape that add value. The entire property needs to be cohesive for a buyer to see value. Bell Outdoor President & Founder Faulkner Bell agrees, “Not only as a horticulturist, but as a homeowner with interest in real estate, the first impression I receive from a property’s appearance makes all the difference in the world when buying. It truly is the first thing a buyer sees when they drive up to look at a home or commercial space to purchase or rent, and it immediately provides a vast amount of information.” He explains, “As a buyer, if a home’s out-door space is attractive and has been well maintained, chances are the remainder of the home has been equally cared for. As a tenant, certainly anyone would prefer to rent a space (residential or commercial) that is attractive and provides an enjoyable environment to live or work. If a property has no well-planned landscape and has been neglected, that will lead to an additional expense the buyer will incur to create functional, enjoyable living space for their family.”
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Where do you start if you want to increase your home’s curb appeal? First and foremost, hire a professional. Assess the property and its current condition. What corrective measures need to be taken to bring the property to a “maintainable” level? What improvements or enhancements need to be made to provide functionality, enjoyment, curb appeal, and a return on your investment? When assessing the landscape and out-door living space of your property, you should focus on design sophistication, plant selection and location, and the diversity of plant material.
Once the existing landscape is assessed, create a plan. An implemented professional plan for landscape design provides a more polished look than a bunch of hodgepodge plantings. Aside from plants, consider what your primary use of the outdoor space will be, room by room so to speak. Are you looking to simply improve its overall aesthetics or to make better use of the space for outdoor living and entertaining? Outdoor patios, water features, private gardens, and fire features are popular because of our mild winters and gorgeous natural surroundings. Even simply adding a clear sense of direction, focal points, and color can create a more pleasant first impression. Designing your outdoor spaces to take advantage of attractive natural features of this area can vastly improve a home’s value.
Once the design and improvements have been made, one of the most important factors in preserving your investment is proper maintenance. Maintenance is key to protecting your investment, so be honest with yourself about your capacity to maintain the property. Do you know all the proper horticultural techniques? If not, you need to seek professional services to maintain your investment on a routine basis.
According to Turf Magazine, “Maintenance is a no-brainer. If you don’t do it properly or pay a professional to do it, you’re going to be paying a lot more when it comes time to sell in order to turn things around. It’s more cost effective and less stressful to maintain all along – plus you get to enjoy it.” They add, “A home that looks like it has been well-maintained over the years also sells better. If buyers see a messy landscape, they may also lose confidence in the quality of the rest of the home.”
When seeking maintenance services, it is vital that you hire knowledgeable horticulture professionals. “Mow, blow, and go” services may cost you money in the long run to correct dam-age caused by improper maintenance practices. A cheap and easy short-term solution is not the best approach to protect your investment in your property.
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While monetary value is an important consideration, the value of personal enjoyment is par-amount. Your home should be a beautiful place for you to enjoy and create memories, and this includes your outdoor space for entertaining. Your yard should be an extension of the living space of your home, a place to play, create, and enjoy. It should reflect the pride you have in your home.
Bell Outdoor is a privately-owned firm located on St. Simons Island, specializing in landscape design/build installation services, along with a highly selective portfolio of full-service residential landscape maintenance customers. They are passionate about creating and enhancing outdoor spaces that are comfortable, functional, and of the highest quality. Faulkner Bell, an Auburn University alumnus, horticulturist, and agronomist, is also a certified concrete paver installer through Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute. The Bell Outdoor team is dedicated to providing a seamless experience for their clients from beginning to end. Their mission is to transform every client’s dream into reality. With more than 100 years of combined team experience, you can trust them to complete your outdoor jobs and exceed expectations. By providing unrivaled quality and customer service, their team of highly skilled horticultural professionals will provide superior value to your home. They seek to establish and maintain long-term relationships through their attention to detail, direct communication, and their desire to exceed expectations.
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Margaret Hunt raves about her great experience working with Bell Outdoor. “When I first arrive on Sea Island, I am always in awe of how beautiful it is to approach my cottage. The yard, flowers and trees always look fabulous and well maintained. Since Bell Outdoor took over our yard, it has taken on a new beauty. Whether a tree needs trimming, flower beds need weeding, gutters need cleaning, windows need washing, or a pool needs a new surface, they notice. They are very detail oriented and quick to take on any home-related task that needs attention. I cannot tell you how many items have been brought to my attention that other companies before had overlooked. They have handled so many things for us, way beyond just a landscape firm! I would highly recommend them as the most talented landscape firm in the Golden Isles.”
Bell Outdoor’s enhancement services include, but are not limited to, landscape and hardscape design build installation, storm water management solutions, full service residential landscape maintenance, landscape lighting, irrigation design and implementation, tree care, landscape enhancement, full service residential property management, and horticultural consultation. They work with only the highest quality products to provide exceptional service to their customers.
For more information, you can stop by their showroom at 411 Arnold Road on St. Simons Island, visit their website at belloutdoorllc.com, call their office at 912.689.8527 or find them on Facebook or Instagram. The Bell Outdoors team exemplifies Quality from Passion.
