Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Lets say you came upon a house in your search that was nice but it had crazy curb appeal due to the landscaping. There are beautiful flowers and shrubs, borders, it's an instant garden should you buy the house.

Would that factor at all in your decision? Is it something that is of value to you? How would you feel if the seller had a caveat that some of the plants would go with them when they move?

I'm asking because a lot of my decisions on what I am planting and spending money on has to do with what happens when we move. This is our first home, not forever.

I won't plant expensive trees, I think we have enough anyway. But a lot of my selections could be divided without killing the main plant or I might want to take them with me completely. The landscape wouldn't be barren, but there might be some spaces here and there.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

I have never once heard anyone comment on the landscaping during a showing

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

our house was a disaster inside and out, curb appeal is nice and all but if its price right I would jump on it. Everyone likes something different, me personally hate everything they had planted so i am pulling it up and planting my own.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Current plantings would have no bearing on what I thought of the house. Knowing me, I would probably kill them all anyway (not intentionally, of course... just by me trying to not kill them... )

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

One of my biggest pet peeves when looking and still now, is when the outside looks better than the inside.

So it would be a nice plus but I wouldn't think anything of it.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

I LOVEEEEE nice landscaping... i truely appreciate all the work that goes into it... I recently redid mine (previous owners just planted ground cover everywhere that was running wild) and IMO, it looked OKAY but had so much more potential.... (we have a condo that happens to have alot of gardening space as compared to others in the complex)

I walk around, admire everyone's landscaping and I think if a house I was ineterested in buying was going to have beautifully landscaped trees removed, i'd be pretty upset... But then again, this wont matter to some other people who dont give a damn about that kind of stuff

I personally wouldnt remove anything...

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

For me curb appeal was sometimes a reason when looking at a house, meaning a plus if it had good curb appeal. Of course we bought the ugly house on the block, so it had no curb appeal. But it had curb appeal, it would have been less for us to do in the end. I think everyone is different with curb appeal.

And the previous owners of our house told us ahead of time that they were taking certain plants. I just look at her and said "Fine", but thought to myself, what the heck is she going to do with them. They were moving to NC or SC probably and didn't have anything to go to. Whatever, she took what she wanted, but everything else was weeds anyway. So if I had bought your house, I would have been a lot more happy and wouldn't have minded if you took some of the plants that were special to you. I would make sure that is written into your contract when selling. People can be weird about these things. Just be up front about it that's all. HTH!

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Curb appeal is nice...but had no bearing on DH and I's opinnion of the homes we viewed. Thats something that can easily be adjusted to ones liking.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

When we were looking at houses, we would drive by them first, before asking our realtor to show them to us, in case we didn't like the outside curb appeal. But, we were factoring in neighborhood, siding, roof. We really didnt look at the plants.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Curb appeal is important- and if there is a lot of planting that I don't have to do, great. It may not get your more money for your house, but it will generate more interest.

I personally would be a little put off if my seller said they were taking this plant or that tree. I would think that's weird. But, I don't know anything about landscaping-- however, as a buyer, I would look at plants as a permanent fixture of the house.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

I would suggest replacing anything you want to take. That way the buyers aren't left with holes, but you still get the plants you want.

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Thanks everyone. I could do what I did when I left Long Beach. Take the divisions, put them in pots, and keep them alive that way while we are looking for another place.

I know it might sound weird but I've had some of these plants for 10 years. A lot of work goes into these babies!

I could just fill all the gaps with hosta.

I didn't want to lead anyone into this thought, but I was wondering if anyone was going to say that a lot of plants was a bad thing - too much upkeep!

Re: Hypothetical questions about house buying & landscaping

Amazing landscaping is a big reason we chose our house. We probably would have chose it without it though so it wasn't a deciding factor.