Affordable Landscaping Tips with Big ROI

Dear Dave,

I have about $5,000 saved up to do some landscaping around my house this spring/summer. I'm trying to decide what my focus should be for my yard/house. I am only planning on staying in this house a couple more years, so I want to make improvements that add the most value. I would really appreciate your advice on the most important landscaping elements in a yard - front and back. They both need work - I just don’t know where to start or where to focus with my funds.

Thanks,
Bobby - Fruita, CO

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Bobby,

The yard is one of the most overlooked elements of any home, when it comes to potential buyer appeal, so you are wise to pay it some attention and focus some of your resources on your yard. A study done by the University of Michigan showed that buyers valued a well landscaped home by 11.3% more than a home with poor landscaping. Another study done at Virginia Tech determined the value may increase by as much as 12.7% for a home with good landscaping vs. one with minimal or poorly designed landscaping. Here is one more number to ponder…you can expect a 150% return on your landscaping investment. That is what I would call good ROI (return on investment)! Regardless of what number is right and how much of your investment you can expect to get back one thing is very clear, all this data clearly points to the fact that your landscaping is VERY IMPORTANT!

“Regardless of what number is right and how much of your investment you can expect to get back one thing is very clear, all this data clearly points to the fact that your landscaping is VERY IMPORTANT!”

Let’s be honest, $5,000 is not an exorbitant sum of money to invest in your landscaping, but if done wisely can make a big impact on your home’s value and overall appeal and easily provide you with a great ROI! The old adage of, “go big or go home” needs to be in your rear view window, as we are going to be swinging for singles and doubles. Most of these things are not expensive, but will make a significant impact when done in conjunction with one another.

For your front and back yard we are going to mostly keep it simple. Step one is to make sure your yard and beds are weed free and create cleanly defined lines between your grass and beds. Cleanly defined lines make keeping your yard maintained much easier and are pleasing to the eye. With your budget let’s go with the metal edging to help create those boundaries and keep your costs down, but make sure when you do it to edge nicely along the grass for a clean line. Also remember to create a clean edge around your walk ways and sidewalks. Next, make sure to put down good weed barrier and add new rock to your beds to freshen it up. You may have to remove what is there to lay down new weed barrier, but it is likely you can recycle the medium you remove and just add new to it. Again, let’s go for the clean look, but go cost effective by using a small (1/2 – 3/4 inch) river rock or some type of mulch. This will look great and keep your costs down. Next, add some pops of color to your flower beds or by using potted planters around your front door and walk ways. Most homes lack good color in the yard and that is a mistake. Color is what makes the world go round and using it wisely can really help make your yard stand out. 

If you don’t have many/any trees, don’t be afraid to do a little budget splurging on slightly larger trees. I believe spending a bit more on a larger tree (15 gallon size) can help give your yard some dimension and you don’t have to wait as long to see some results. Trees can also be great to help hide or obscure something that you don’t want to see. They can be very good screens to create privacy. 

Lastly, try to keep aside $2,000 (of your allotted $5k) to create something special. Creating an outdoor living or entertaining area is the “wow” factor you need to really take it to the next level. It DOES NOT have to be expensive. It can be a small flagstone or paver patio with fire pit or small water feature. You could build a small raised party deck with some nice lighting that extends your patio and creates some back yard magic! Don’t be afraid to get creative and use resources like Pintrest or Houzz.com to find cool outdoor patio or entertaining area ideas. 

Have a blast with it and send me a picture of before and after! Hope this helps and it turns out great.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Have a question? Ask Dave!

What You Should Know Before Buying a Home with a Septic System

Dave,

Our Realtor has shown us a few houses with septic systems—which we learned is actually pretty common here—and we hate to admit it, but the houses that have them have moved down our list for that reason alone. We’ve heard some horror stories! We got to thinking about it though and what if we find a house we love, but it’s on a septic system. What do you recommend we ask the seller and have done before buying to save us from having a septic horror story of our own in the future?

Thank you!!
Mike and Andrea, Grand Junction

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Mike and Andrea,

I completely understand your concerns and reservations. Septic systems are often times a worry, however I believe it is typically due to a lack of education on how they work and how easy it really can be to maintain a healthy septic system. In my opinion having a septic system is not a reason to rule your dream home out or even bump it down the list, unless it is showing signs of distress or failure! Yes, having a sewer hookup is easier and generally safer, but I have seen perfectly functioning septic systems that are 30–40 years old and are showing no signs of failure. Spotting signs of failure should be pretty easy.

Here are some common signs of septic system failure:

1. Slow drains, gurgling or “stuff” backing up into the home. If the drains are slow, that can be a sign of impending issues.

2. Unpleasant odors inside or outside your home. You will know the smell when you smell it. It most likely won’t be a, “honey do you smell that?,” it will be a “honey was that you?” odor. All kidding aside, it will be a noticeable sewage odor and something that should be looked into promptly.

3. Look for soggy areas, puddles or places where your lawn is growing like it is located in tropical rain forest! If you find any of these issues, this is telling you that the drain field is not properly draining and needs attention before your kid’s next birthday party!

“While looking over the seller’s property disclosure or going through the home inspection process if you notice any evidence or remarks similar to the above, then proceed with caution. ”

While looking over the seller’s property disclosure or going through the home inspection process if you notice any evidence or remarks similar to the above, then proceed with caution.  I know we often ask prospective sellers to have their septic tank pumped, it should be done every 2-3 years depending on usage, and inspected to ensure all looks to be in order. If you want to go the extra step, you can have the main line and the leach field lines scoped with a camera to help detect any possible latent issues with the system. Should all those tests come back with a good report, my suggestion would be to proceed with little concern. If the septic system is performing properly it should continue to maintain good performance for many years as long as you follow some simple rules.

Good rules to follow to ensure your septic remains trouble free. Items to never want to flush down your toilet include, but are not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons, hair, coffee grounds, paper towels, condoms, or cigarette butts. Stuff you should put in the trash, instead of down your sink would be, chlorine, oils, grease, animal fats from cooking and really any type of chemicals. If the home has a disposal, be careful. Just because the disposal will grind it up and get it down the line does not mean that it should go down the line! Compost your kitchen scraps rather than shove them in the disposal or get yourself a new Labrador Retriever puppy and pretty soon you will have two disposals! 

The bottom line, do your homework on any septic system to ensure it is functioning properly and move forward with confidence. Education is the key to understanding and getting comfortable. Yes, there are septic horror stories, but there are horror stories about EVERYTHING if you want to find them. Lastly, guys remember it is Valentine’s Day this Wednesday...do yourself a favor and make a call to one of our local florists! 

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Pursuing a Career in Real Estate

Dave,

I have lived in the Grand Valley for the past 9 years and we absolutely love living in Western Colorado. I currently work in retail, as one of our store managers, but honestly know that if we continue to reside in Grand Junction there is very little upside potential with my current employer. I am married and have two young children. My wife works as a nurse and between our two jobs we earn a good living, but we are both on the verge of being “capped out” in our jobs. All this has me thinking about real estate. I have two questions, What is required to become a realtor and what (if any) advice would you give me about pursuing a new career in real estate?

Thanks,
Bobby

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Bobby,

I find the business of real estate to be wonderful and becoming a Realtor was one of the best decisions of my life. This business is truly a business where you reap what you sew and your results are a direct reflection of your hard work or lack thereof. I think you will love the business, should you decide to pursue it. Okay, on to your questions.

First, you need to go to the Colorado Division of Real Estate website and make sure that you meet all the requirements for obtaining a license (dora.colorado.gov). Once you have determined that you meet the requirements for obtaining your license, you then must find a real estate training course. General course requirements are 168 hours of study and then you must pass the state real estate exam. There are many options to achieve your 168 hours of course study, but the most popular is probably online. You can also go to Denver and take the course in a classroom setting if that is your preferred way of learning. I took my license online and through course books from the Real Estate College of Colorado (realestatecollege.com) and it was great! They were extremely helpful, when I needed it and I could learn at my own pace. It took me 2-3 months to complete my course study and prepare for the final exam.  Costs of the various courses run between $350-$1100. 

After you pass your exam, you are good to go to find a place of employment. You will want to interview several agencies to find the one that is the best culture fit for you. Each agency has its own “personality” and you will likely find that one of them fits you like a glove and you will know it right away. Remember you will be interviewing them at that same time they are interviewing you. 

Below is how I would summarize what it takes and what it is to be a Realtor. Not advice, just what to expect and see if it lines up with who you are and what you are looking for and you can judge for yourself if you think it will be a good fit. 

“Real estate is an incredible business. No two days or hours are the same and I mean it! If you like routine, then you need not apply. If your family likes routine (with you present), then you need not apply.”

Real estate is an incredible business. No two days or hours are the same and I mean it! If you like routine, then you need not apply. If your family likes routine (with you present), then you need not apply. There is nothing routine about any of my days. This business is very competitive. You will never stop learning, even if you don’t want to learn any more, it will force you to keep learning or move over. Just when you think you know it all and have it all figured out, you will be humbled. There are great highs and very low, lows. Most people will love you and you will love them, but not all, so you must have a thick skin to thrive. You will make mistakes and you must own them, take responsibility and correct them, this will put you well ahead of those who cannot. Always remember, honesty wins every time! As with everything, it is what you make of it. What you put in, you will get out. What you make, you will earn. What you dream, you can achieve. If this sounds like your kind of business then you will do great, if you read this last paragraph and think you are not so sure, then keep looking for something else. Personally, I love it and hope you do too. Hope this helped and feel free to call.

Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team

Have a Question? Ask Dave!