As an investor, one of your top concerns should be ensuring your Radford rental properties have appealing yet low-maintenance landscaping. Even though there are plenty of ways to achieve this, one way that’s clearly becoming ever more popular all around the country is xeriscaping. Although xeriscaping has its roots in desert areas, it is promptly turning into the landscaping method of choice for rental property owners in diverse markets. This is definitely because many aspects of xeriscaping present clear payoffs and benefits to both you and your tenants. Choosing to xeriscape a yard is an individual choice. To make that decision easier, it’s important first to learn what xeriscaping is and how it could really benefit you.
Figuring out whether xeriscaping is right for your properties starts with understanding what it is – and what it isn’t. There are quite a lot of general misperceptions concerning xeriscaping. Most property owners expect that a xeriscaped yard doesn’t have grass or trees. But, in actual fact, this is not true. Xeriscaping is a particular style of landscaping designed to use smaller amounts of water more efficiently. This may perhaps include reducing, but not eliminating, lawns or flower beds, planting hardy, drought-resistant trees, and shrubs, and adding decorative rocks or other “hardscaping” elements.
This style of landscaping has multiple obvious benefits. Certainly, by planting trees and shrubs that need less water, you can significantly reduce your utility costs. Most xeriscaping uses a drip system to deliver water directly to plants and trees, avoiding waste. Xeriscaping is likewise excellent for preventing soil erosion. In wet conditions, decorative rock can help stabilize saturated soils, control drainage, and keep running water away from your property’s foundation. In dry climates, decorative rock is used to prevent wind erosion and to cover unsightly bare patches beneath the trees or in shady sections of the yard.
Decorative rock comes in a wide range of colors and sizes, which makes it possible to freely add custom rock areas to your landscaping that merge well with your prevailing landscaping design. There are also measures to achieve a xeriscaped yard for far less money than you may surmise, if you can find and use low-cost or even free materials. Think of the eye-catching appeal of a path made from river rock or pebbles curving across the yard. There are so many attractive ways to landscape with rocks that it has truly turned into a go-to alternative for investors who are looking for gorgeous landscaping year-round.
An additional essential benefit of xeriscaping is that it is very low-maintenance. Smaller lawn areas mean less mowing and trimming without sacrificing any of the curb appeal. Hardy trees and plants tend to be somewhat slower growing, which may mean less trimming is required. Tenants will most likely be comfortable with how less maintenance the yard exacts, which can greatly encourage them to take up residence in the home for a really long time. Your water bill will decrease, and your rental property will keep looking spic and span from season to season.
Need more guidance on landscaping? Has maintenance become overwhelming? Real Property Management Insight has a full staff of Radford property managers ready to take over for you. For more information, contact us online or call us at 540-998-6917.
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