6 tips to add value to your lake home
You finally did it: you made the leap and purchased your dream lake home. It’s everything you were looking for—gorgeous waterfront views, an expansive lawn, and ample room for the whole family to come and visit. From the outside, it’s a bit of a fixer-upper, but that’s alright; every potential project is an opportunity to make the property truly your own, and maybe even turn a profit should you ever choose to sell.
There’s only one question left: Where do you start?
Craig Wendt, Co-Owner and Residential Estimator at Valley Landscaping has six tips for using landscaping to add value to your lake home.
#1 Invest in your outdoor living areas.
The best part of being at the lake is spending time outside: playing outside, cooking outside, eating outside, sleeping outside. So why not put some time and money into creating an outdoor living space that is just as luxurious and inviting as indoors?
“Outdoor living areas such as paver patios and outdoor kitchens add a lot of value along with items such as fire features, curb edging and plants,” Craig said. “These patios allow customers to enjoy their outside living experience to the fullest.”
#2 Keep it simple.
When taking on a lake landscaping project, the instinct can be to transform your backyard into an outdoor oasis complete with palm trees, an array of boldly colored flowers, and ornate water features. However, Craig advises, “more is not always better. Landscaping can become too much and overwhelm the area rather than enhance it.”
Sticking to a simple design—some well-pruned shrubbery, assorted perennials for color, and perhaps a few trees to add shade and vertical interest—will result in a yard that is more beautiful, adds more value, and is easier to maintain.
#3 “Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share…”
Adding value to your lake home doesn’t have to cost boatloads of money, either. It can be as simple as keeping your lawn neat and tidy.
“Taking care of the yard is the cheapest and best thing anyone can do for their home,” Craig said. “This includes watering, fertilizing, spraying for weeds, mowing and just general maintenance.”
#4 …especially in the fall.
Believe it or not, fall is fast approaching—which means that lawn maintenance is more important than ever. There are few sights more beautiful than the reds and golds of fall foliage reflecting off of a crystalline lake, but those leaves can cause some serious issues for your lawn come spring.
“Fall cleanup is very important,” Craig said. “Things as simple as making sure the leaves and miscellaneous debris are cleaned up out of the landscaping can make a big difference.”
While a few stray leaves here and there won’t hurt your grass, a thick layer of fallen leaves can deprive your lawn of its most vital nutrient: sunlight. What’s worse, if that layer of leaves is covered in mounds of snow for five months of the year, you run the risk of growing snow rot—a fungal disease that can damage or kill grass after the snow melts. So make sure to rake up those leaves this fall! Besides, who doesn’t love jumping into a good leaf pile?
#5 Know when to call in the pros.
Curating a beautifully landscaped property is definitely something to take pride in, but that doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. Hiring a professional landscaping service will ensure that your project is completed properly and in a timely manner—especially if it is a project that you are unfamiliar with.
“People often try to do things themselves, which can result in improperly or unprofessionally done landscaping,” Craig said. “This can not only look bad but cause issues with the lawn in the future.”
#6 Partner with a bank you trust.
While working with the right landscaper will help you add value to your lake home, partnering with the right bank will help you make the most out of your investment. For this, Craig and his team at Valley Landscaping trust Choice Bank.
“We have found it particularly helpful to work with banks that understand our situation and take a personal interest in what we are trying to accomplish,” Craig said. “A lake home is a good investment that you can actually enjoy.”
Consulting with a financing expert is the best place to begin when looking to elevate your investment in your lake home. Contact one of our Choice Home Loan experts today.