Leading Home Builder Provides Tips For Enhancing A Home's Curb Appeal

by David Weekley Homes

Spring is in the air and homeowners across the country are tackling home improvement projects that have been neglected all winter. One of the most important yet overlooked projects is the need for enhancing a home's curb appeal through a well-maintained landscape.

"Great landscaping attracts the eye, emphasizes the elevation of the home and serves as a creative outlet for the entire family," said David Weekley, chairman of David Weekley Homes and author of How to Buy a Home without Getting Hammered. "In the end, the effort you put into your home now could mean fewer days on the market when you are ready to sell because of increased curb appeal."

Drawing on the expertise of the company's designers, David Weekley Homes suggests the following tips for homeowners this season:

• Create a unified landscaping theme that reflects your home's architecture.
  If you live in a home with classical or colonial-style architecture, consider utilizing symmetrical lines and features such as evergreen shrubs, rose gardens and decorative ponds to complement the aesthetic beauty of your home. For a contemporary home, experiment with asymmetrical features, trendy flowers, meandering curves and stepping-stone walks to create a modern and inviting effect.
• Decide on the focal point for your landscape.
  Take a stroll through your neighborhood and think about what aspect of your neighbors' yards captures your attention. Is it a set of well-landscaped trees? Perhaps a calming fountain or colorful flowerbeds? Choose one focal point for your front and back yard and build your theme around it.
• Make sure your landscaping plans suit your lifestyle.
  Before you start planting, think carefully about how much time and energy you want to put into your landscaping. Do you travel frequently? Do you enjoy spending your weekends working in the yard? Does your budget allow for a professional lawn service? If you want to handle your landscaping needs on your own, make sure you have enough free time each week. If not, consider hiring a professional service or planting flowers and shrubs that will thrive with minimal upkeep.
• Plan a season ahead.
  Many flowers need to be planted a season ahead in order to bloom in season. Take note of plants and vegetables you would like to add to your landscaping and buy bulbs and seeds well in advance.
• Have fun!
  Invite the whole family to participate in the garden and remember to enjoy the time you spend together. Use your creative energy to think of new features for your landscape and experiment with different looks this season. For additional homebuying and design tips, pick up a copy of "How to Buy a Home without Getting Hammered" at your nearest retailer or online at davidweekleyhomes.com.

Houston-based David Weekley Homes, Texas' largest, privately owned, single-family Home Builder, as well as the third largest, privately owned Home Builder in the U.S., is engaged in the design, construction, marketing and sales of single-family detached homes. David Weekley Homes currently builds in 18 markets across the nation, including Atlanta, Austin, Bluffton/Hilton Head, Charleston, Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Fort Myers, Houston, Jacksonville, Orlando, Palm Coast, Panama City, Phoenix, Port Charlotte, Raleigh, San Antonio and Tampa. For more information about David Weekley Homes, visit the company's Web site at www.davidweekleyhomes.com.