Guest Blog by Meredith Hale
The good news is that in Washington, D.C., home prices are up. The meh news is that it’s a very competitive real estate market, with many attractive options for buyers to choose from. As a result, you may have to make a few tweaks to get the most buck for your bang. So here are some landscaping trends sure to increase your curb appeal.
Go Green
The National Association of Landscape Professionals says a green lawn is important to most homebuyers. Seventy-nine percent say the lawn is a big factor when they’re choosing a new home. So the first thing you can do to increase your home’s curb appeal is to turn your lawn into a lush, green oasis. A proper lawn care regimen includes regular mowing and edging, along with treating diseases and pests. In addition, fertilizing and weeding are musts.
Multitasking features

You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to increase your curb appeal. Plenty of simple landscaping trends will catch a buyer’s eye with little effort on your part. Low maintenance evergreen shrubs add visual appeal and privacy.
How about a privacy fence that doubles as a vertical garden or a patio that turns into a retaining wall? Anything that serves more than one purpose, combining function and style, is sure to charm home buyers. Another example? Try rock scaping a path through your yard that also provides drainage and guides rainwater and snowmelt away from your home.
Refresh Your Mulch
A fresh layer of mulch around your trees and flower beds brightens up the yard and gives it a cleaner appearance. A few bags of mulch will cost you around $40. A small investment that could pay off by raising the next offer.
Powerwash

You can rent a small power washer at most home improvement stores. Spend a few hours power washing the front porch and walkways. You’d be surprised how much dirt and grime they accrue over the winter. Your sidewalks and pavers will look like new, letting the next buyer know you’ve taken care of your property.
Flower Power

Rose bushes and flower gardens make a great first impression. They also add a sweet scent to the entrance for anyone touring your property. Don’t have room for a flower bed in front? Simply add a few container plants to the front porch. Pro tip: try painting your address on the containers to make it easier for prospective buyers to find your place.
Light It Up
You’ve spent all this time and money on your landscape, so make sure you showcase it, even at night. Solar lights along the pathways are a great touch. Put a rope light around your flower garden. Smaller lights surrounding your potted plants will highlight your yard and patio. It’s a small renovation that can add value to your home.
It’s easy to get carried away, tweaking your landscaping and spending money that won’t bring you the return on investment. Keep an eye on the curb appeal of other homes in your price range and in your area to get an idea of how much you should spend — and how much you might expect to recoup.
If you want help learning what you landscape trends will help you sell your home, let one of our experienced realtors at Eng Garcia help you today!
Meredith Hale is a gardening and landscape writer and design addict. She has coordinated the design on many house flipping projects, admitting that her favorite part is creating inspired outdoor spaces.