Does landscaping help to sell your home?

Yes. Yes it does.

We've all come to know and embrace the term curb appeal, because first impressions are so very important. Yet a home's outdoor landscaping is often overlooked in the preparation for the sales process. An attractive and well-maintained landscape can add as much as 10 percent to the home's value. Of course, that 10 percent is based on purely anecdotal evidence. It’s important nonetheless.

Landscaping is part of the overall curb appeal, and it signals what the interior of the home might be like. A well maintained landscape indicates that a house has been well maintained. Your outdoor space is an extension of your indoor space, so your garden should be cleaned and maintained just like the rest of your house.

Vacuuming and mowing are siblings. If your grass looks fresh and tidy, the floors inside probably are, too. If the plant beds are set with new mulch and the edges are nice and straight, the small but important details indoors are likely well cared for.

Photo courtesy of Katrina Coombs | Outside InStyle

How to get it done quickly: hire a professional landscape contractor to come in and edge, mow, fix and plant. Patchy grass? No problem. Fixing and straightening a fountain? They can do that. Trimming trees. Easy-peasy. There are many great contractors in LA. We recommend doing a search at Houzz.com to find the right one for you and your needs.

Want to go beyond your mow and blow guys? We have a few great landscape designers we've worked with in the past.

• Katrina Coombs of Outside InStyle is an expert designer in sustainable and low-maintenance gardens that need little water.

• Daniel Deephouse of Deephouse Landscaping does everything green, plus can work with you on bonsai, and planting a vegetable garden.

• Denny Han of ARLA Design is our go-to guy for pools and fire pits. Yes, he knows his plants as well.

If you're not sure how your home stacks up, talk with us. We see homes every day, and know what buyers in our area want.