Buyers: Beware of the Nightmare Yard

Among the many things buyers should scrutinize when shopping for homes is landscaping. Buyers can avoid trouble down the road if they spot landscape hazards now.

According to a recent Realty Times article, most of us are used to thinking about landscaping in terms of what is aesthetically pleasing and provides privacy. The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), however, is urging homebuyers to start considering the possible effects of landscaping on a home. “Sometimes people tend to look at the house briefly and then go inside and then start looking at where they will put their furniture or just kind of enjoy the layout of the house,” says Frank Lesh, President of  ASHI.

ASHI is hoping that homebuyers will start giving homes they are interested in a good, long look, inside and out, up close and far away. Lesh recommends driving around the neighborhood as a good first step. “You want to know if you’re in a valley, on a hill, on the side of the hill, is there a river or a creek nearby or a lake, or a retention pond – really you want to know what kind of water is around your house or what kind of water could be around your house,” he says.

For their next step, Lesh advises buyers to pull up across the street from the house on which they have their eye and examine the trees and foliage. Look to see if any trees are touching the house, if power lines are too close to the roof or if there are any other potential risks. After you do that, you can walk the property and check for uneven surfaces, such as a heaved or cracked driveway near a tree. “This could show that there are roots pushing up against the sidewalk and that could be a trip hazard or it could be a maintenance nightmare,” Lesh cautions. “If water gets in there under the sidewalk or driveway, it could undermine it. If you live in an area where it’s cold, the water could turn to ice, which would lift up the sidewalk or driveway – those are all problems that could be reoccurring.”

You should also check the grading within a few feet of the house and check the level of the homes to each side and to the front and rear. “How are those houses situated compared to yours? If you’re the lowest one, chances are when it rains, you’re going to get some water coming toward your house,” Lesh explains. “Water intrusion is one of the biggest headaches everybody has in their homes and we want to eliminate that from being a problem right off the bat.”

In other words, as a buyer, you need to avoid falling in love with a home before you get an accurate, big-picture view of what living in that home will be like. Paying close attention to dripping taps and peeling paint is all very good, but you also need to look at the parts of a home that could add or detract from it. Looking at the landscaping around your home will help you understand the kind of maintenance you are signing up for, as well as any possible hazards.

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