Custom landscaping can add beauty and elegance to any home, but did you know that a properly installed and maintained landscaping can also add up to 20% to your home value? In these economic times, with the value of homes going down the drain, homeowners are doing whatever they can to increase that value and an easy way to do this is with the services of a custom landscaper.

Too many people make the mistake of focusing on the inside of the house when they are trying to sell their home, but potential buyers first impression of the house comes before they even walk through the front door.

By focusing on what landscapers call curb appeal, you can dramatically increase the chances of selling your home! The average sale of a property that is custom landscaped can increase by as much as six weeks!

But how much should you invest in your custom landscaping to get the right rate of return on your investment? Experts say that you should invest about 5% of your home value in order to see returns of upwards of 200%.

Areas to focus on in your custom landscaping when you are trying to sell your home or increase your home value include the following:

• Attractive Entranceways: As your potential buyers approach the house they should be greeted with a beautiful entranceway and paved pathway leading them up to the front door.

• Water Features: Forget just having a water feature in the backyard. By adding a water feature to your entranceway, you greet your visitors with the welcoming sound of cascading water. This can also be used to muffle any road or area noise that may detract from your home.

• Green Lawns: Spend some time on your lawn. Make sure there are no bare spots and its well maintained. Make it inviting and pleasant to look at.

• Raised Flower Beds: Adding raised flowerbeds along the front of the house adds a nice element to your custom landscaping and enhances your drainage.

• Add Color: When you choose your flowers, keep in mind that color can play a very important role. Choose bright colors that complement each other and stand out from the road.

• Trees and Shrubs Are To Scale: Having overgrown shrubs that overpower the rest of the custom landscaping can detract from your landscaping design. Make sure trees and shrubs are trimmed and neat.