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Curb Appeal? Or Curb Unappeal?

By Jeff Dowler, CRS

Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

October 18, 2009 05:57 AM

I showed this house the other day. The yard had clearly been landscaped (per the MLS listing, professionally) and had great curb appeal from the street.

Curb appeal??

Upon closer inspection, however, one has to question of the logic of what was done. I was reminded of the cult movie Little Shop of Horrors and the plant that kept asking to be fed (YouTube clip).

The plants are lush, VERY much so, and they are taking over. You might say they are over-achievers!!

You couldn't even get to the front door, which made it unwelcoming. And from inside one has the feeling they were trying to get in. Great, if you want privacy but they obscured the light and the views quite a bit, especially in the one bedroom.

Over-achieving plants

And there were a couple that clearly wanted to prohibit you from entering the backyard through the gate.

Over-achieving plants

At least it's fixable, and with a completely remodeled interior, the home still represents a great value. But I had to wonder....Curb Appeal? Or Curb Unappeal?

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Lina Robertson

AMAX Real Estate - Springfield, MO

REALTOR® Serving Springfield, Nixa and Ozark, MO

Jeff - That is definately curb UNappeal!! What do you want to bet the new owner removes them immediately. LOL

Oct 18, 2009 05:59 AM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Lina - or at least moves them. A border along the street would provide a nice view and some more privacy. They were HUGE!!

Jeff

Oct 18, 2009 06:00 AM

Hannah Williams

HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA

Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Jeff..Reminds me of a Sci Fiction movie I just watched where the plants ate the people..maybe not that bad..but the plants need to be smaller and more manicured for the small space..:0)

HELPFULHANNAH

Oct 18, 2009 06:05 AM

Cindy Jones

Integrity Real Estate Group - Woodbridge, VA

Pentagon, Fort Belvoir & Quantico Real Estate News

Yikes someone did read the landscaping books about scale. You're right I'd be afraid the thing was going to eat me before I got my key in the door.

Oct 18, 2009 06:06 AM

Dennis Duvernay Broker/Owner

Hillview Realty - Northbridge, MA

Yikes...the plants in the windows look like hanging wall pictures that the seller left behind....LOL

Oct 18, 2009 06:09 AM

Bryant Tutas

Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL

Selling Florida one home at a time

Very intersting Jeff. Looks like some of my short sale listings!! I had an agent call me a couple a weeks ago that couldn't make it to the front door because the grass was so long. I had to send my lawn man over to cut a path. The buyer ended up purchasing it!!!

Oct 18, 2009 06:18 AM

Theodora Wu

TJ Investments - Burien, WA

Not very appealing to me either. I like plants, but I would like to be able to conveniently walk to my door and see out the windows.

Oct 18, 2009 09:15 AM

Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman

Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI

(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Yeah....I need lots of light...and that interferes with it. I always think that bushes in front of windows gives lurkers a place to hide too .....

Oct 18, 2009 10:09 AM

Elizabeth Bolton

RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA

Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Jeff ~ Those pictures are a riot! This has been one of my father's pet peeves for years - landscapers who don't take the long view when choosing and siting plants.

Liz

Oct 18, 2009 11:18 AM

Brian Lee Burke

Kenna Real Estate - Lone Tree, CO

Broker & Advising Expert-Kenna Luxury Real Estate

Jeff - it's a jungle, well ok maybe just a one very well eaten plant! LOL. ~Rita

Oct 18, 2009 11:56 AM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hannah - LOL. So true.

Cindy - and it was almost a battle to even GET to the door.

Dennis - LOL. They really WERE the focal point inside.

BB - Ha ha, good story. And this is not even a short sale or REO. You would need a limberjack to take care of these babies.

Theodora - I am a plant lover too, but this was a bit much. Fighting with your plant to get in and out of the house makes no sense. But maybe that's just me.

Sally - and these plants were large enough for several people to hide behind.

Liz - it made NO sense to me. This work was fairly recently done, so it wasn't like those plants had been there for years. And even so, without any trimming, it was so obvious this is an issue, especially at the door. I'm just glad they were not thorny plants.

Rita - It felt a bit jungle-like.

Jeff

Oct 18, 2009 12:10 PM

Mitchell J Hall

Manhattan, NY

Lic Associate RE Broker - Manhattan & Brooklyn

Jeff, It does remind me of Little Shop of Horrors. Maybe the listing agent should have an Open House on Halloween. LOL.

Oct 18, 2009 12:16 PM

Jane Peters

Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles real estate concierge services

This is funny. How on earth did the owners live like this?

Oct 18, 2009 01:47 PM

Jeff Dowler, CRS

eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA

The Southern California Relocation Dude

Mitchell - Ha ha. FABULOUS idea!

Jane - actually the owners are investors who bought it at foreclosure, did a substantial remodel and are flipping it. They likelyt have no clue. Or should I say, they clearly have no clue.

Jeff

Oct 18, 2009 01:56 PM

Jane Peters

Home Jane Realty - Los Angeles, CA

Los Angeles real estate concierge services

No. They clearly are blind.

Oct 18, 2009 04:25 PM

George Souto

George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT

Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Jeff I remember that movie ........ LOL

Your right they do look like they are saying feed me.

Oct 19, 2009 01:07 PM

Lisa Hill

Florida Property Experts - Daytona Beach, FL

Daytona Beach Real Estate

LOL! OK. I literally laughed out loud at just the thought of that plant in Little Shop of Horrors. Can't wait to go watch the video clip... Feed meeeee Seymour! ROFL!

OK. As for the plants, they do need to be trimmed back. And the one by the front door should be placed in a huge pot, and moved to a different location! Some smalle flowers would be nice, in place of that huge thing. By itself, it's beautiful, but blocking the door, it's just a pain!

Oct 21, 2009 04:22 AM

Georgie Hunter R(S) 58089

Hawai'i Life Real Estate Brokers - Haiku, HI

Maui Real Estate sales and lifestyle info

Those plants want to get INSIDE NOW! That's pretty funny. some plants just grow too fast and need to be relocated.

Oct 21, 2009 03:48 PM

Russel Ray, San Diego Business & Marketing Consultant & Photographer

Russel Ray - San Diego State University, CA

I suspect that the landscape was done by the professionals. The problem with landscape professionals here in Southern California, though, is that they landscape based on price. So if a bunch of small plants cost a buck ninety-nine at Home Depot, they buy them and plant them. Two years later, those small plants are monster plants like you have there. This is the only state I've worked in where "professional" landscapers do that. I don't think a single landscaper here has "Western Gardenbook," or "Flora" or "The Plant Book" or "Trees and Shrubs for Foliage" so they can look up the name of a plant and see how bit it will get so that they don't plant a small Italian cypress under the eaves.

Those are some beautiful red Abyssinian banana plants, though. They've been getting some good watering. Check the water bill before buying!

Oct 23, 2009 09:27 PM