• Take inventory of the plants. See what sorts of annuals are there. Who knows? There might be something rare with a value all its own.

• Appraise the health and size of trees. Full canopies on maturing shade trees, such as oaks, red maples, beeches and hickories, should stand above the property with no dead branches.

• Scrutinize large trees around a newly constructed house. Check for signs of bulldozer damage, trenching, and other construction activities at their roots.

• Assess shrubs to make sure they're healthy. Replacing large shrubs is expensive.

• Look at the grounds. Orientation to the sun, soil type, land contour, drainage, property lines, lighting, pedestrian circulation, paving, and irrigation can all be valuable assets.

• Find the boundaries. A survey can confirm if the property stakes are in place. Finding the lines also tells you if the neighbors respect the property by staying within their boundaries.

For help with specifics of plant types or landscaping projects, check out preferred partner Baumgartner Greens.

Four cheap and easy home improvements - article

• Make it neat and clutter-free. Get rid of children’s toys and limit the number of hanging flower baskets and yard art. "It's far better to have fewer bigger pots than the clutter of smaller hanging pots," Schwarz says. "They just weigh down the house."

• Mow, weed and edge. “If the yard doesn't look well-manicured, then [potential buyers] feel the home hasn't been well maintained," Schwarz says. If the dog urinated on the yard and killed a portion of it, Schwarz recommends painting it.

• Trim the greenery. Trim trees from the bottom so they create a canopy but don’t block the view. Trim foundation plantings from the top, so they don’t impede views of the windows.

• Add color. If there’s no color in the yard, plant something like brightly blooming impatiens along the walkway.

• In winter, place two small potted evergreen trees on either side of the door to brighten up the entrance. Also, make sure the walkways are clear of ice and snow.

• Buy a new welcome doormat to dress up the front door.