Image by denis collette via Flickr

In this challenging real estate market, curb appeal is particularly important for a home seller. One of the first things you should do with a house that has a shabby exterior is focus on the front yard landscape. Planting a few flowers and/or bushes, trimming the grass, and laying out some bark for ground cover can be a quick and simple way to get you started. If you don’t have time for that, consider hiring a landscaper.

Here in the Central Valley, you can drive down just about any road and find a landscaper’s truck driving by you. There are so many, you will probably end up asking yourself, “How do I choose the right one?” Here are some tips for hiring a landscaper who will do a good job at a reasonable price.

• Review a portfolio. A neighbor’s recommendation is a good starting point, but it is also worthwhile to examine other jobs the landscaper has done and ask for references. Hiring someone who isn’t reliable, doesn’t finish the job or who uses unhealthy plants is a costly mistake.
• Consider maintenance. Asking for a low-maintenance design will ensure that even if the home owner isn’t able to spend hours on the task, the lawn will continue to look good.
• Know what good landscaping is worth. It can’t hurt to let a potential buyer know what the value of the trees and shrubs are. The North Carolina-based Horticultural Asset Management specializes in assessing the value of landscape plants. For instance, it puts the worth of a healthy 60-foot-tall European beech at $50,000.