Is Your Landscaping Harming Your House?

By Nicole Foster, Broker/ REALTOR

One of the best ways to boost your home's curb appeal is to invest in your yard. Beautiful, mature landscaping not only enhances the visual appeal of a property but can also increase its market value. A well-maintained yard creates a positive first impression, while overgrown shrubs, unkept gardens, and neglected outdoor spaces can signal additional work and expense to prospective buyers. Neglected landscaping can quickly diminish a buyer's enthusiasm upon arrival, as many immediately begin calculating the time, effort, and expense required to restore the property.

When making decisions about improving your home's landscaping, it is important to carefully consider the location of any new plantings. Simple and seemingly harmless projects – such as planting a tree to provide shade or adding shrubs to enhance your home's façade – can create significant problems over time if they are placed in the wrong location. What begins as a small landscaping improvement can eventually lead to costly repairs, safety concerns, or damage to your property.

Research has shown that planting trees can increase a home's value when they are thoughtfully incorporated into the landscape. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, strategically placed trees can boost a property's value by as much as 3 to 15 percent.

In addition to enhancing curb appeal, mature trees can provide shade, improve energy efficiency, and create a more inviting outdoor environment. However, trees planted in the wrong location can have the opposite effect, negatively impacting a home's marketability and potentially causing costly damage to foundations, roofs, driveways, septic systems, or utility lines. Before selecting a location for a new tree, take the time to look upward, downward, and outward.

Start by looking overhead. Are there utility lines nearby that could eventually interfere with a mature tree's growth?

Next, consider what lies beneath the surface. Think about the location of your home's plumbing, septic system, and sewer lines before you begin planting. Tree roots naturally seek out moisture through a biological process known as hydrotropism. As roots grow, they are drawn toward water sources that help sustain the tree. This is one reason roots are commonly discovered during septic and sewer inspections. Over time, roots can infiltrate pipes, obstruct wastewater flow, and even cause costly damage to septic and sewer systems. Also consider the mature size of the tree's canopy and where its branches will extend over time.

Think about whether the tree will drop leaves, needles, seeds, acorns, fruit, or sap, and where those materials are likely to accumulate. A tree that seems perfectly placed today may eventually create maintenance issues if debris regularly collects on top of your roof shingles, clogs gutters, stains vehicles or covers walkways, decks, and patios. 

The use of mulch offers several benefits for homeowners. It helps retain soil moisture, suppress weed growth, and insulate plant roots during periods of freezing temperatures. However, when used incorrectly, mulch can create conditions that lead to moisture-related problems. Mulch should never be placed directly against a home's foundation or allowed to come into contact with wood siding, trim, or other wooden structures. Excess moisture trapped against these surfaces can contribute to rot, mold, and pest infestations. To help protect your home, maintain a gap of at least six inches between mulch beds and the foundation, with a foot of clearance being ideal. Mulch should also be applied in a layer no deeper than two to three inches to allow for proper drainage and air circulation.

When selecting shrubs and plants near your home’s foundation, it is important to consider the root systems of the varieties you choose. Some plants develop particularly aggressive or persistent roots that can damage hardscaping, disrupt drainage, or even impact a home’s foundation over time. Planting shrubs or bushes too close to the side of a house can also lead to ongoing maintenance challenges, requiring frequent pruning to prevent contact with siding or trim. When vegetation is allowed to grow against the home, it can trap moisture, contribute to mildew or mold growth on exterior surfaces, and make routine maintenance and repairs more difficult. 

Ivy climbing the side of a home may create a charming, storybook appearance, but it can also lead to costly problems. As it grows, ivy can trap moisture against exterior surfaces, damage siding, masonry and paint, and create entry points for insects and other unwanted pests. Left unchecked, what begins as an attractive landscaping feature can result in expensive repairs and ongoing maintenance concerns.

Taking the time to remove, repair, or replace old landscaping that may pose a potential threat to your home is a wise investment, whether you plan to stay in your property long-term or sell in the near future. Making thoughtful choices when introducing new plantings can also help ensure your landscaping enhances rather than compromises the value and integrity of your home.

Nicole Foster is a real estate broker with over 20 years of experience helping buyers, sellers and investors in Southern Maine who loves real estate and people. Follow Nicole at @207nicolefoster or facebook.com/sellingmaine. <