Missing the Forest for the Trees

"My mother planted those GIANT Junipers," the Seller said, nostalgia dripping from her voice. "I'd hate to take them down."

​"That's unfortunate because the trees literally block the house," I said, "you could easily drive right past and never know the home was there at all. (That's no exaggeration - there's a very cute house waiting to be loved behind those trees.)

The same could be said about the BIG "fixer" directly across the street from me that had, sadly, been neglected for years. My elderly neighbor was 104 when she passed, and she hadn't properly maintained the house or grounds for a few decades (at least). Upon her death, the estate quietly sold the property last year to a lovely contractor and his wife (who, happily, decided to keep it, rather than flip it). The new owners immediately got down to business remodeling nearly every square inch of this worn-out property, resulting in a stunningly beautiful and far more modern adaptation of its former glory (They're speaking my language.)

Now that the inside is almost complete, my new neighbor asked, "what should we do with the garden?" (You've come to the right gal.)

"Cut down ALL of the privet that's covering the front and sides," I said with ZERO hesitation. (I've been living across from that jungle for a decade and wishing I could take a chainsaw to the place.) "Your work is too beautiful not to show it off." (Please note, if you're a contractor, designer, landscaper, or Realtor®, your house is essentially your calling card.)

"But deer live in there," he said kindly, as if his yard were a petting zoo, "and we kinda like the privacy."

"I know all about the deer," I said, (They've eaten every rosebud in my garden.) They'll undoubtedly find other places to sleep . . . . (BTW, curtains create privacy, too.)

In both instances, these Sellers are, quite literally, "missing the forest for the trees." Their houses are completely blocked from view. Moreover, privet is essentially a giant weed that reseeds itself throughout the yard, and then unfortunately, begins to prolifically sprout in neighboring gardens. (Truly, the bane of my existence.) Other than the fact that "Privet Lane" is the street where Harry Potter lived with his aunt and uncle, I cannot think of one good use for this highly invasive species.

Moreover, BEFORE planting a garden, try to take the long view, which is to say that some trees don't belong in our yards or on our medians where expanding roots can wreak havoc with sidewalks, patios, and foundations; behemoths that grow massive canopies that hang over the roofs and make insurance a nightmare to obtain.

In both examples above, the gardens were left to their own devices, turning into wild jungles of overgrown, self-sowing hedges of privet and juniper, vines of creeping fig and wisteria, and long-forgotten camellias that swallowed these homes entirely, and blocked most of the light from the front windows. (That's not good.)

In short, redwoods and oaks are rarely appropriate for the average yard unless you can plant them well away from the house or have acres of land. Give them a decade and you'll be wishing you'd heeded my advice. If it's shade you're after, consider smaller ornamentals, like Japanese Maples or Dogwoods. They'll be happier, and so will you.

But whether or not you are willing to let go of your overgrown foliage, Buyers need to be able to see the home from the curb, irrespective of who planted what or how long ago. (You'll have less than five seconds to make a positive first impression.) What you'd like that first impression to say about the house is entirely up to you (it's still your house, your risk, and your decision), but I guarantee you'll be leaving money on the table if you don't address the wildness of it all . . . AND if the goal is to sell the property, does it really matter if we thin out and remove the unmanageable tangle of wood? Are you willing to listen to our advice?

When it comes to Real Estate and the importance of a home's online image and branding, it's imperative that we entice the Buyers to actually cross the threshold so they can fall in love. In other words, if you need a machete to access the front door, it's time to bring in the professionals! (And we've got them.) Because a little TLC can reap huge benefits, and we wouldn't ask you to do anything we didn't honestly believe would be an excellent return on your investment. Let the sunshine in.

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