2005 Mar
2005 Mar Vol. 25, No. 3
Focus on...Market Review And Forecast
Environmentally Friendly Landscaping
It's an inescapable truth: there's no such thing as a prosperous, attractive community with unkempt landscaping. Value and beauty go hand in hand and that premise is true for homeowner associations, too. At the very least, residents want green lawns and healthy trees, and beyond that, they usually insist on attractive bushes and shrubbery, as well as blooming plants. Read More
Spring Grounds Cleanup
Spring is a time to start anew—and to observe the importance of lawns in our daily lives and environment. April is even designated as National Lawn Care Month. There is a lot to do to awaken the landscape from its winter slumber and to prepare the grounds for the inevitable wet weather that comes with springtime. It's also a good time to spruce up your common areas, such as lawns, decks, fences and parking areas. Read More
Give Your Grounds a New Look
When people think of "landscaping," most bring to mind images of lush shrubs, trees, and sprinklers watering verdant green lawns. There's more to it than that, however, and in some cases, less-typical landscaping elements can not only set an association apart visually, but can add value and durability to heavily trafficked areas or those with heavy exposure to the elements. Read More
Trees Need a Lot of TLC
Decorating an association's grounds isn't an easy job; decisions needed to be made on dozens of design elements, plant species, arrangement, and so forth. Along with shrubs, bushes, and flowers, trees are central component of any landscape—and while it might seem hard to overlook something as big as a tree, oftentimes tree care gets neglected when community associations draw up landscape maintenance programs. Read More
Important Questions to Ask Your Landscaper
Most people would agree that even the most upscale homeowner association could benefit from some well-tended, well-cared-for green spaces. According to the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA), landscaping adds real, measurable value to your home and your neighborhood. The right landscaping can increase the value of your home by 15 percent, allowing owners to recoup 100 to 200 percent of their investment in plants, maintenance, and labor. Landscaping is one of the first things prospective buyers' notice when they visit a home. Realtors estimate that 95 percent of home shoppers will not even get out of their car if a property lacks what industry pros call "curb appeal." Read More
Association Rules vs. Aesthetics
A giant shrub trimmed to resemble a stock car? Shutters painted an eye-shattering fuschia? Eight not-so-tiny reindeer blitzing across the roof? Some people's idea of design heaven is almost certainly someone else's idea of aesthetic purgatory. In co-op and condo communities, where hundreds of different individuals live (and decorate) side by side, aesthetic conflict is not just a possibility—it's a reality. Read More
A Look at the New Jersey Housing Market
By all accounts, the condo/co-op real estate market in New Jersey was more than robust during 2004 and experts are hopeful that the trend will continue in 2005. Whether it's Union County, Morris County or Hudson County, the feeling is that condos/townhouses or co-ops, depending on the location, will continue to be a hot commodity. In New Jersey, by the way, we're usually talking about condos—co-ops are found mainly in urban areas such as Hoboken and Jersey City, and are often conversions of older residential rental buildings. Read More
A Profile of the Professional Landcare Network
With both history and innovation on its side, the trade association known as the Professional Landcare Network, or PLANET, is going strong midway through its fourth decade. Based in Herndon, Virginia with branches across the contiguous United States as well as Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada, and formerly known as the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, PLANET promotes business management skills and profitability, as well as a set of customer-oriented, environmentally-conscious organizational goals. Read More
