Thinking of selling your home? Sprucing up your yard will help get buyers attention and can add up to 15 percent to its value. It may even be the difference between a potential buyer and a drive-away. Want to hear more?
Michelle Dawson, realtytimes.com, notes Mark S. Henry of the Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics at Clemson University found that excellent landscaping added 4 to 5 percent to the value of a good home. In addition, homes with poor landscaping in the same neighborhoods as those with excellent landscaping sold for 8 to 10 percent less.
What tips can you follow to add value of your home? Several sources are available: ask a friend who has landscaping experience, visit your local nursery to discover what is popular in your area and,look around your neighborhood to determine the style of landscape that is being used.
Now, how do your proceed?
* Fertilize your lawn so it has eye-popping deep, green color. Use a high iron fertilizer like Milorganite 6-2-0 to get this deep, green color.
* Clean up all debris. Cut down and remove tall weeds.
* Trim trees and shrubs. Remove dead branches. Employ an arborist to safely trim trees that are beyond your capability.
* When choosing new trees and shrubs, look for those that fit your property. Don’t cover windows with shrubs.
* Plant colorful annuals.
How can you do all this in an environmentally green manner? You can start by using a goof-proof fertilizer such as Milorganite 6-2-0. According to Mike Archer, market development for Milorganite, “Use a fertilizer that gives you goof proof results. Milorganite fertilizers contain no salts; therefore they won’t burn or streak your lawn. Plus, Milorganite’s high iron gives you a deep, green, eye-catching color. This is without your lawn needing excessive water or mowing.â€
Several tips can help you decide what landscaping will work best. First, pick plants that are low maintenance. Plants that are native to your area will take weather extremes in stride. Pick shrubs and trees that physically fit the area. This will lessen the need for pruning. Pick plants that have interest for several seasons. One shrub that fits this requirement is the red twig dogwood. Red twig produces abundant flowers in late spring and bright red bark that contrasts with snow in the winter. Choose flowering shrubs that produce berries that birds enjoy.
Adding value to your home is not difficult. You can also be Green while doing so. In fact, being Green in your yard care not only is good for the environment, but it also tends to be goof proof, which is important during the stressful time of selling your home. For more on goof proof Milorganite fertilizers, check out www.milorganite.com.
Courtesy of ARA content
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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