When you have "tear-downs" or "knock-downs" and build a much larger home than the older homes in the neighborhood, it's important to try to fit in.
Since flood elevation requirements often require that the living levels be elevated, homes often appear much larger than their actual living area.
Landscaping is SO important. It's important to plant trees and shrubs that are proportioned to the size of the home. You don't want to plant 5 gallon trees and wait years for them to mature. You want to make the home look as though it's been there for a while. The large trees also mask the wall area of a new home.
Be kind to your neighbors, and help your home value as well as theirs - put in landscaping that's appropriately sized.
Note the size here - even on the sides, the trees are above the second story level.
Sharon, while I shouldn't be laughing right now .... I am. I like both the landscaping and the house but they are definitely not in proportion.
Sharon, you've highlighted a pet peeve of mine. I just hate when people build a big beautiful home and don't put a lick of landscaping in or they just put in an puny version.
Barb - it IS funny when viewed from this perspective, without depth perception. Sometimes photos are deceptive.
Chris - yes, we see it too often.
Sharon, here we get whole big neighborhoods of tract mansions with twig trees. It looks really awful.
Great post. We have the same type of things in Texas. Great house and then go cheap on the yard. On the Real Estate side of our business our home stagger also does the yard. It Really helps.
Terry Miller
So true - it's either too much or too little! We have some gorgeous homes here that look less-than-stellar due to improper landscaping.
I agree on the landscaping aspect. We are going through some growing pains in Central Austin with small homes being scraped and new larger "McMansions" being built. Often the homes are too large and don't fit in. Now the city has gone overboard and brought on a building ordinance that does not allow for building enough to make it worth while. It will be that way for a few months until it swings the other way.
Back to the subject: it would be a lot better if the landscaper worked to coordinate with the architect to produce something consistent with the home!
These are some great points Sharon but typically I see plantings that upon maturity are positioned too densely or close to structures which necessitates a future removal or at least a maintenance nuisance for the homeowner. Municipalities seem to undertake this as "beautification" and it can look so unnatural it's annoying.
Pat - Ugh!
Terry - I hadn't heard of home stagers for the yard. Great idea.
Carol - yes, there are the overgrown ones, too.
Russell - I agree that there should be coordination.
Kevin - I guess the key is to have staged landscaping - some to look at now and remove as the others grow.
When you look at the picture, it really does look like the trees are oversized. Something I never even thought of, but now see how this can impact a buyers first impression. I will keep this in mind with future listings.
Staged Landscaping, sounds like a new business opportunity.