Creating curb appeal is one of the easiest things to do when you sell your home. It’s also one of the first things recommended by your real estate agent to add value. Curb appeal is high on the list of items that creates emotion and desire.
Also creating value puts more money into your pocket and as we all know, we want the most money available when it comes time to sell the house.
Curb appeal creates that first impression and initiates the attraction process. There is a picture you have in your mind of your new home. The house is painted, the landscape is colorful, full and vibrant. Doormat or not, it just looks “welcoming”.
Maybe the reason that spring and summer are usually the best times to sell is because everything is in growing and in bloom. The curb appeal is in full focus as opposed to fall and winter when things go dormant and earth tones become predominant.
Water Restrictions in Pasadena
The City of Pasadena has adopted certain water restrictions that will only allow residents to water their lawns two days a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from April – October. From November – March, watering is reduced to only one day per week.
Despite these new regulations, it doesn’t appear the enforcement on these new requirements has been spreading or if it has, many have refused to adopt it. I continue to see residents water at different times throughout the day and on days other than Tuesday & Saturday. But that is a discussion for another day.
If Brown, Value Has to Go Down
Drive down any Pasadena street and you can see the effects of these mandates. Laws are brown, and many have converted to water resistant landscapes and xeriscaping. Some have converted naturally, just by allowing the grass to die.
While there is no data that supports the value of “curb appeal” it only makes sense that if two homes are for sale side by side, identical with square footage, beds, and baths, the one with the perfectly landscaped yard will sell for more money than the one which appears neglected and dying.
What is the Real Issue?
I believe you can actually maintain a well-landscaped lawn and beautifully landscaped yard in lieu of the city’s water restrictions. It appears that two days a week is sufficient to keep things growing and green. Maybe the current weather this week with 100+ temperatures is an exception. My guess is the issue really relates to how people feel about the water they use and their personal conservation methods.
Realizing that water is a precious limited natural resource, some people probably choose to let nature take its course. Anyway, it’s probably only a matter of weeks before the El Nino reigns (rains) supreme and provides us with some much needed rainfall.