Newly Built: Atascadero Woodland Retreat

Newly Built: Atascadero Woodland Retreat

Oct 15, 2020

Some of our projects are intended for broader appreciation and aesthetics, while others are much more personalized. The Atascadero Woodland Retreat project was specifically catered to a more familial and hands-on finish with the client involved every step of the way.

Landscapes as a whole are meant to be actively enjoyed and cared for, which made this particular client’s requests exciting for us. This entire project was built upon the desire for an intimate space meant for interaction. With kids, pets, and the personalized intent of the space, we made sure that this landscape was one this family could make their own. Some of the design and construction leaned toward the traditional: paved paths, a large and intricate deck installation around their beautiful oak trees and fencing to keep kids and pets safe. But some of the project was quite innovative: rather than building out the collective vision entirely on our own, we provided planters with prepped soil and designated spaces for the clients’ own contributions and touches to the landscape.

This project required a lot of collaboration between the client, designer, and installation team, which in turn brought out the strengths of our design-build services. Thanks to the flexibility and easy communication created by our process, we were able to make well-informed design changes on-the-fly with the end result aligning with the client’s vision.

On the Boards: Templeton Vineyard Residence

On the Boards: Templeton Vineyard Residence

Oct 15, 2020

Landscaping is a living art that is first and foremost rooted in the natural canvases we are given. With the Templeton Vineyard Residence’s hilltop placement, we worked with sprawling views and gorgeous stone façades. Our job was to complement and balance those elements, bringing in texture and color to emphasize the natural landscape without blocking its stunning panorama.

Landscaping is a living art that is first and foremost rooted in the natural canvases we are given. With the Templeton Vineyard Residence’s hilltop placement, we worked with sprawling views and gorgeous stone façades. Our job was to complement and balance those elements, bringing in texture and color to emphasize the natural landscape without blocking its stunning panorama.

 For this project, we installed planting, irrigation, and lighting, all of which had to be orchestrated to complement the location. With its unique location and design style—contemporary southern estate— we were able to use a different plant palette than what is ordinarily seen in North County.

Through strategic plant selection and placement, we aimed to soften some of the harder lines from the built structures without covering up the gorgeous natural stone façade. We placed some trees to frame views and used others in procession, drawing the eye across the landscape. Masses of short, flowering plants were placed before the view to the vineyard, adding color and interest to the foreground without blocking or detracting from the view. This vibrant swath of planting makes an eye-catching display, as the subtle, textural variations, tonal color changes, and seasonal interests create a softer effect that enhances the vista.

The home was designed by Isaman Design Inc.
General Contracting by Mark Sullivan.

9 Tips for Selling Your Home During Coronavirus

9 Tips for Selling Your Home During Coronavirus

Sep 15, 2020

The coronavirus has affected so many aspects of our lives – from how we work to how we exercise, communicate, and so much more. It has also affected the housing market and how we now buy and sell homes. If you’re thinking about listing your home you may be wondering what you can do to attract homebuyers during this unprecedented time? While executing on curb appeal ideas and implementing strategic home staging are all still worthy endeavors in appealing to homebuyers, an ideal home office or an entertainment-worthy backyard may have found renewed interest for today’s homebuyers. Here are 9 tips to help you sell your home during coronavirus.

Start by prepping your home to sell in a virtual world

Due to coronavirus, developments in virtual home tours, 3D walkthroughs, and the ability to close remotely with online notaries have made the home buying and selling process easier than ever. Along with these advancements in real estate technology, services such as virtual staging, virtual home inspections, and even virtual interior design have grown in popularity.

1. Make your home shine online with virtual staging

Whether you’re listing a single-family home for sale in Atlanta, GA or a duplex for sale in Sacramento, CA, staging your home is one of the most integral parts of the process. It gives potential buyers an opportunity to visualize themselves living in your space, which can make or break a deal. So, unless you have experience staging homes, consider consulting with a professional home stager. Given the current climate, however, not everyone necessarily wants a professional stager to enter their house. That’s why virtual staging services have become such a popular alternative. The advent of virtual staging has allowed stagers to create comfortable and aesthetically pleasing atmospheres for potential buyers to view a home without ever setting foot inside. While in-person staging will likely return post-coronavirus, virtual staging will remain a convenient and favorable option that should be considered when getting your house ready to sell.

2. Organize your interior with a virtual organizing and decluttering service

As with virtual staging, many have found virtual organizing services to be an affordable and convenient way to receive advice on how to organize and declutter their space. Some organizers even claim that working virtually allows them to have longer organizing sessions with their clients, resulting in more in-depth appointments. However, one of the most compelling reasons to try a virtual organizing session is that you get to work hands-on with your space. By allowing a professional organizer to virtually guide you through the organization process, you can practice and integrate your new skills long after your session has ended, and having a functional space will give your home a leg-up when it’s time to sell.

3. Invest in professional photography to help your home stand out

Nowadays, with the ability to buy and sell almost entirely online, it’s more important than ever to make sure your home’s online appearance is top-notch. While it may be tempting to forego the expense of professional real estate photos and do it yourself, it’s important to note that your house will likely sell faster and for more money, if you go with a professional. Investing in a real estate photographer will ensure that your home is presented in its best light when you list. In the case that your home is located on a large plot of land or has a spectacular view you want to show off, consider having aerial photos taken of your home. With advancements in drone photography, this service is more affordable than ever and is able to capture your home’s most prominent features from a whole new perspective.

Make sure your home addresses all the needs of today’s buyers

4. Turn unused space into a home gym or office

For many people, things like working and exercising from home have been a completely new experience that they weren’t entirely prepared for. Prior to coronavirus, many hadn’t considered the importance of having a dedicated workspace that promotes productivity while remaining separate from their day-to-day lives. However, now people have begun to recognize the value of additional space. If you have an unfinished basement, a spare bedroom, or an insulated garage, take the time to transform it into a usable and desirable space. Whether it functions as a home office, gym, indoor garden, or something else, having a bonus area that buyers can customize to their individual needs will certainly provide value to your home in the eyes of today’s homebuyers.

5. Make your backyard a horticulturist’s dream

As many may have noticed, when the coronavirus initially struck, produce and even proteins were in short supply at the local grocery store. This shortage ultimately gave people a greater appreciation for being able to grow their own food from the comfort of home. Taking the time to build a garden bed in a previously unused part of your backyard will bring life to your outdoor space and be an added bonus in the eyes of the buyer.

6. Create a space to grow food indoors

Why limit your gardening to the outdoors? Indoor gardening has also seen a rise in popularity since the beginning of the pandemic. Having a proper place for an indoor garden within your home can be a bonus from a buyer’s perspective. Not to mention, building an indoor garden can be a fun, rewarding, and educational project for the whole family to be a part of. Start by finding the right space in your home. Keep in mind that the ideal location for an indoor garden receives a lot of natural light and has an average temperature of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit. After that, choose vegetables and herbs that thrive indoors such as lettuces, carrots, tomatoes, arugula, etc.. For more in-depth instruction, refer to these expert tips on how to create the ultimate DIY indoor garden.

Turn your backyard into a personal getaway

With all the time that’s been spent at home, a beautiful space for outdoor entertainment has taken on a whole new level of importance. Investing a little time and money into your outdoor space will provide a range of benefits to you as a homeowner while adding value to your home when it comes time to sell. Create the ultimate gathering space in your backyard by incorporating elements like a wooden porch swing, lawn games, outdoor lighting, or even a DIY firepit.

7. Build a deck for relaxing, entertainment, and more

Adding a deck to your exterior for entertainment, barbecues, or even just relaxing is a great way to boost your outdoor living experience. Not to mention, decks add living space at a fraction of the price of a fully enclosed living area. You can expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $35 per square foot versus an enclosed addition which can run you anywhere from $100 to $150 per square foot. Deck space also adds to the overall value of your home and will be an asset when it’s time to sell.

8. Put up a fence for added privacy

Having a fence that provides privacy without being an eyesore is another great way to improve your outdoor living area and appeal to buyers. There are a variety of aesthetic fencing materials such as wood, vinyl, aluminum, wrought iron and composite all of which can range in price and require varying degrees of maintenance. So before you run to the hardware store and start building a fence yourself, we suggest consulting with professionals to determine what material is best for you and your home.

9. Give your exterior the facelift it deserves

Investing in an outdoor space that acts as a getaway can be one of the best ways to relieve stress and provide entertainment, while simultaneously adding to your homes curb appeal and overall value. Whether it’s sprucing up your lawn, adding exterior features like a fountain or a pool, or giving your walkway some love, investing in your homes curb appeal will make buyers eager to picture themselves living there. If you’re short on ideas, give your local landscaper, hardscaper, or exterior design expert a call – they can work with you to develop a personalized plan that will make your home the star of the cul-de-sac. Originally published on Redfin

The Synergy of Your Landscape: Adding Value to Your Home

The Synergy of Your Landscape: Adding Value to Your Home

Jan 31, 2020

How Landscaping Increases Your Home’s Value

Synergy is when two or more components produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects. Landscaping can create some of the best synergistic benefits available to a property owner. Not only does it add value to your property immediately, but it also increases that property’s value over time—for decades to come. While your indoor décor changes regularly as styles change and your mechanical systems wear out over time, your trees and other plantings grow larger and more valuable as the years go by.

Well-Designed Landscaping Raises Property Values

Quite simply, well landscaped homes are worth more than homes that are not. That value increase can commonly be from 5% to 15%, depending on the particulars of the property. This is where good landscape design comes into play. The beauty, functionality, maintenance requirements, and environmental sustainability all contribute to the overall impact of the landscape. In a Washington Post article, a “quick Web search resulted in a medley of statistics on the return on investment of landscaping. I found numbers ranging from a 100 percent to 1,000 percent ROI on landscaping.” (April 1, 2015)

When a house is on the market, first impressions are very important, and when a potential buyer first pulls up and sees your home, the design and care of the landscaping are the first indicators of the condition of the home. They call it “Curb Appeal”.

But if the landscape is not well designed, problems can and often do arise in the form of failures, expensive removals and do-overs, as well as lost usefulness, synergy and serenity.

How Gardens Add Value

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” This proverb has never been more literally true. The larger the plants grow, the more valuable they are. Another big part of a well-designed landscape is how it makes people feel. This may sound subjective and abstract, but the sense of “home” and “place” are real and part of what makes for comfort and eases stress.

An article in the SFGate states: “A landscape full of large, mature plants is obviously one that has been carefully tended to over the years, and that sends a signal to buyers. That’s a good indication that they’ve taken care of the inside of the house as well, which is appealing to home buyers.” The Appraisal Institute recently advised homeowners to properly maintain their landscaping, which can significantly affect property values. “If a landscaping change is positive, it can often enhance price and reduce a home’s time on the market,” says Appraisal Institute President Richard L. Borges II, MAI, SRA.

A Few Tips on Creating Financial Synergy in Your Landscape

-Plant Trees! From getting rid of CO2 and creating oxygen to producing fruit, shade and so many other reasons, trees add thousands in value to your home and reduce the time on the market when homes are for sale. Plant the right tree in the right place! Could they be oaks?

-Make sure your landscape is as sustainable as possible. This includes food production. It also includes fire safety.

–Match your landscape to your architecture. This is a key to the above-mentioned “Curb Appeal”.

-Install an automatic irrigation system. It’s important to properly balance the needs of your landscape with water efficiency and conservation. It’s also vital in protecting your investment.

-Keep maintenance needs to a minimum. A key part of good design and the affordability of growing your investment in landscaping, a “low maintenance” landscape is a big selling point to many home buyers and owners.

-Landscape lighting makes it possible to enjoy (and promote) your landscape well after dark.

For all the above reasons, good landscaping represents investing wisely and making the most of your property assets. Good landscaping + time = Synergy!