Best Ways to Maximize the Curb Appeal of Your Home

When it comes to curb appeal – how a real estate professional might describe the relative attractiveness of a home – designing and caring for your landscape can be just as important as upkeeping the exterior of the home itself. And it’s important for homeowners to maintain the appearance of their property for multiple reasons. Not just to maximize its value should they decide to sell, but also to meet certain aesthetic standards for their community.

And why not do what you can to maximize the appeal of the place where you live? It doesn’t just make financial sense, but it feels good to come home to a dwelling that has been cared for and kept up, inside and out.

Clear Your Sidewalk and Maintain Your Landscape Year Round

Maintaining a clean-looking lawn, garden and sidewalk is just as important as properly cultivating your garden and greenery. You want your property not just to be beautiful, but also to convey that the person who resides there takes good care of it. That sends the message that the inside of the home is in good shape, as well.

Ways to boost your curb appeal can also vary depending on the time of year. For example, an aspect of fall maintenance that sets it apart is that, here in the Midwest, ice and snow can arrive unexpectedly. Anyone who lives here knows that seasonal weather is nothing if not unpredictable. Therefore, preparation for that moment starts to take place in early fall.

In addition, you don’t want to deal with debris next spring left on the ground all winter long. And if there is an unseasonably early snowfall or unexpected ice, clearing it will be a lot easier if nothing is lurking underneath. Therefore, as you prepare for the colder months ahead, you’ll also want to be thinking about leaving the ground as clear as possible.

Install a Modern Irrigation System

Are you still relying on awkward and outdated sprinkler systems? A lot has happened in recent years in the area of irrigation systems. More modern systems are not only used on golf courses or vast landscapes. Updating your irrigation system signals to others that you keep up with best practices when it comes to land care.

For instance, drip irrigation can be a more efficient and effective way of giving different parts of your flower beds, lawn space and other greenery precisely what they need at the time of day that makes the most sense. A drip irrigation system can be set on a timer, allowing a slow drip to hydrate the base of the plants and reach down to the roots, where water is needed the most. A gradual approach also helps conserve water as you can water less frequently and avoid runoff.

Avoid Common Lawn Care Mistakes

A lawn that shows even minor signs of neglect or mis-management can lower the curb appeal of the home. Homeowners can even, unintentionally, take steps to mitigate problems that hurt more than they help. A couple pitfalls to be on the lookout are:

• Raking or Dethatching Without Assistance from Experts – Folks concerned about their lawn might be tempted to try to remove dry or discolored patches of grass that may be dormant but isn’t dead. A lawn care expert can help you care for any irregular patches of lawn so the whole area starts to look healthy and green again.

• Improper Fertilization – Come springtime, there is an art and schedule to fertilizing grass properly, especially if severe temperatures have taken a toll on your lawn. Have a pro take a look at it to ascertain the best next step to bringing it back to life.

A major benefit of working with a professional gardening service is that they can ensure things are planted at the right point in the season and help prevent signs of unhealthy landscapes. Sheldon Landscape can introduce soil that is fresh and fertile when the time is right, as well as offer options when plants need to be protected, whether from the scorching sun or an early frost.

Hire a High-Quality, Professional Landscaping Partner for Routine Maintenance

Not every professional landscaper has the horticultural expertise to see that these and countless other steps are taken to help boost the curb appeal of your property. The team at Sheldon will take many steps to make the most of your curb appeal:

1. Help you with landscape design
2. Do proper seasonal maintenance
3. Coordinate schedules that work with the client
4. Plant flowers and plants known to thrive in the Midwest
5. Handle flower boxes, holiday lighting and snow removal

Contact Sheldon Landscapes to discuss what else we can do to maximize your home’s curb appeal. Visit us online to find out more about our many services!