I was chatting with Keith last night in PalmTalk chat and was discussing our yards. I told Keith that I was spending about 4% of the total cost of my property and house on landscaping (primarily palms). He did a quick calculation and determined that he had spent about 5% on his landscaping. We both view our yards as extensions of our homes or "outdoor rooms" and decided that it was a small price to pay ...percentage-wise for the enjoyment and increase in livable space.

Percentage-wise what have others spent on their outdoor spaces including hardscape? Do not include large items such as pools or decks, but do include pathways, decor, fountains etc.

7%

It's so hard to say due to the ever falling prices of palms, not to mention, what is your house really worth?? Are we talkng today? I guess we have to, because who knows what tomorrow holds! Today, if I were to magically have all my palms placed in respective pots in the current conditions they are in now... rough estimate would be 40%. That number looks high but it's assuming these palms sell and sell at retail, and also assuming my house would sell at the estimated value, as well.

Maybe a better question is how much has your property value gone up, since you planted, or due to your landscaping? I think, ultimately, that number is lower than the firesale of all my palms without the house being included.

houses out here are expensive so im still at less than 1%

houses out here are expensive so im still at less than 1%

What's the $$$ to get you in the door at your neighborhood? I just got some new neighbors--they paid about 100k for their house, but can't move in yet as it needs a LOT of work! No floors and that really cool FEMA blue roof; it needs at least 40k to be put into it, along with a lot of sweat! During the housing boom, this same place sold for $270k!

I refinanced recently and asked my appraiser if rare palms/plants in my landscape would add any value to my property. He said "NO". What adds value is a manicured landscape, not the rarity of the plants in the landscape. With that said, it's less than 1%.

houses out here are expensive so im still at less than 1%

What's the $$$ to get you in the door at your neighborhood? I just got some new neighbors--they paid about 100k for their house, but can't move in yet as it needs a LOT of work! No floors and that really cool FEMA blue roof; it needs at least 40k to be put into it, along with a lot of sweat! During the housing boom, this same place sold for $270k!

houses like mine around my area at the moment ( i know because we are refinancing and had to get comps) are between 330K and 410K. my house came in at 367k. during the boom the guy who lost it was in it for 495K. san diego is crazy.

I don't understand it, Steve--you should move to the east coast and live rich! Our boys can swim together.

I don't understand it, Steve--you should move to the east coast and live rich! Our boys can swim together.

i dont either. trust me my house isnt much. its only 1500sf and on a pretty small lot. i could buy this house anywhere else for a fraction of what its worth. if i ever move it will be to Hawaii. been trying to get my wife to move there for a while now. i think its a lost cause though .

I don't understand it, Steve--you should move to the east coast and live rich! Our boys can swim together.

i dont either. trust me my house isnt much. its only 1500sf and on a pretty small lot. i could buy this house anywhere else for a fraction of what its worth. if i ever move it will be to Hawaii. been trying to get my wife to move there for a while now. i think its a lost cause though .

I would never move to Hawaii(nothing to those who live there) as it's the most remote place in the world and if things didn't work out, financially, I could be stuck there! It's ok if you're rich as F@#$, but anywhere would be nice, if that were the case. I hope you and your wife get to visit for the 2014 Biennial, Steve.

I'm going to plead the 5th Amendment on this question...

I'm going to plead the 5th Amendment on this question...

Haha. I hear ya Kim

Dave Chappelle: " I plea da fif!"

I guess I should have re-phrased the question, or clarified it. I'm not asking for what the palms$/home-land price is currently, but rather what did you spend initially or shortly thereafter compared to the value of the home at that time. For instance, if you put in very small plants for less price then you spent substantially less than someone who put in large landscape items percentage wise

.

I guess I should have re-phrased the question, or clarified it. I'm not asking for what the palms$/home-land price is currently, but rather what did you spend initially or shortly thereafter compared to the value of the home at that time. For instance, if you put in very small plants for less price then you spent substantially less than someone who put in large landscape items percentage wise

.

Oh, in that case, prolly about 2%.

100% ala Ralph Velez. Bring your own machete.

The cost of the landscaping compared to the cost of the property of last home was about 8% (now probably more like 10% as many of the plants are cycads and they have gone up 10fold in value since planting)... however if you ask what the landscaping did to the value of the property/home, that is a totally different matter. No one wants to buy a place packed with plants (almost nobody that is) so the plants actually dropped the value of the property 15% (plants were described by many potential buyers as 'giant weeds')... yikes.. oh well. Those looking to buy had to factor in the cost of digging up or bulldozing all the current plants. Sad situation. Fortunately it's not really my problem at this time.

Wow, that's a tough one. I inherited my house but over the years have put almost $500,000 into improvements. Los Altos is where many of the Silicon Valley Execs purchase homes and a simple one-story ranch style like mine appraises at between $1.7 and $1.8 million. I know, that sounds ridiculous but even at those prices, homes, even fixer uppers, typically are on the market one week or less and sell for more than asking prices.

My landscape improvements total about $200,000.00 so that would be around 10% or a bit more. I don't care if these landscape costs wouldn't be returned in a house sale. I do it all because it's what I love.

About 2% for me (spent about 1% on plants and 1% on bringing in soil).

Expressed as a percentage of the house cost excluding the value of the land.

Very succinct Harry. So it would be even less if you included in the value of the land. I too am supprised at the cost of soil, it was way more than I had originally thought. I just hope it gives me a good foundation and some water retention in those first few years until things become more established.

Oh, and Jim...I would pay that much for your yard too. Still waiting for more pointers on design....actually didn't know that you were a landscape designer by trade......guess it makes sense seeing what you have created.

I was chatting with Keith last night in PalmTalk chat and was discussing our yards. I told Keith that I was spending about 4% of the total cost of my property and house on landscaping (primarily palms). He did a quick calculation and determined that he had spent about 5% on his landscaping. We both view our yards as extensions of our homes or "outdoor rooms" and decided that it was a small price to pay ...percentage-wise for the enjoyment and increase in livable space.

Percentage-wise what have others spent on their outdoor spaces including hardscape? Do not include large items such as pools or decks, but do include pathways, decor, fountains etc.

The most expensive part of outside landscaping is the hardscape including the biggest items: pools and decks... My specimen palms(10) are about 2% and those grown from 15 gallon or smaller(43) amount to less than 1%. The prices of palms in florida are ridiculously low, probably too low for a healthy economy. When I compare the cost of hardscape to palms, its really out of whack...

I either bought 95% of my stuff in 3 gal containers or smaller, or grew from seed. I planted and did everything myself. less then .05% and you would love my yard, It did take time however and I was willing to wait. I love seeing small palms get big.

Cost, in terms of money out of pocket?

Oh, gee, in my case, I'd say about 4% tippy tippy toppity tops.

WORTH? Well, hmm . . . . much more than that.

I'm going to plead the 5th Amendment on this question...

Haha. I hear ya Kim

Me too... or even three..

300%. I live in a cardboard box