Going Green Before you sell your Pacific Beach Home

Maybe your thinking of doing a little re-model to have the property your putting on the market become a bit more enticing. Maybe you just want to increase the value of your home right now. Either way, going green in Pacific Beach while your doing upgrades is important to consider. Here are some ways you can go green and upgrade your front or back yard.

Your landscape is important for curb appeal. It is the first thing a potential buyer sees upon visiting your property for sale. First thing to consider is water and how much of it your current landscape requires. We all know here in San Diego that water conservation is important.

1. Use plants in your yard that are native to San Diego California. The plants require less maintenance and water because they have adapted to our area. Native plants will also be more resistant to pests and diseases which means using less pesticides and attract beneficial insects. The California Native Plant Society San Diego Chapter  has a complete list of plants for the region and PDF files with information about any of the plants. Beach Evening Primrose and the California Poppy are just two of the beautiful blooms for the coastal region of San Diego.

2.Reduce the size of the lawn. According to San Diego Landscaping company, The Yard Fairy, Inc., reducing the size of your lawn to about 600 square feet can impact your water bill savings by about $200.00. Plus you will lower your lawn mowing and feeding, which in turn will help the environment. Do this by increasing the size of your patio or creating walkways to and from your property. By using pavers set in sand, or flagstone you can add detail and beauty to any boring lawn-scape.

3. You may want to think about your irrigation system as well. Most systems are set to water to often and end up watering the driveway and sidewalks. Improve the efficiency of your irrigation system by converting to a more modern drip system that puts water only where needed.

4. Make sure your planters around the house are well protected with mulch. Mulch will not only look good it will reduce the evaporation of water from the soil by about half! It will naturally suppress weeds and help improve the soil by adding organic matter. We recommend using wood chip, bark or other natural materials.

5. Trim back any overgrown trees. Consider deciduous trees (trees that lose their leaves in the winter) close to the house, as they will allow lovely shade to cool the house down in the summer and bring the sun shining through in the winter to keep the house warmer. The Chinese Redbud or Cercis Chinensis is a perfect low maintenance tree with glossy leaves and pink or purple flowers, it can grow up to 20 feet tall and 15 feet across and it does shed leaves in the fall.