A neat garden adds value to your property

HOMES AND CONSTRUCTION

No landlord desires to have unoccupied property for long. As soon as construction is complete, there is need for tenants immediately.

As the Ugandan consumer gets more sophisticated, the condition of the garden in the home now greatly affects the value of any given property regardless of its location.

Landlords and property developers ought to double their efforts in trimming their lawns. If it is a flat, developers ought to make the gardens easily accessible by all the occupants. This shoots up the rent.

A survey done on housing estates in Kampala with neat lawns like those in the golf course area and Speke Apartments reveals the enormous difference in rent rates in these prime areas as a pointer to the value added by the garden.

"A neat garden serves as a pointer to how the rest of the place has been maintained over time. As the buyer makes up his/her mind to reside in or buy property, for a start, they envision the beauty of sitting in the gardens, sun basking or partying there," Damba Kezekia, a property dealer says.

He asserts that the garden may be convenient for singles or for those with families. It should be made easy for the incoming buyer to change or alter a few things to suit his or her taste.

"Expatriate tenants love to find ornamental trees already in full bloom. Some of them have short-term contracts of eight to four months, and yet find apartments with plants that take four years to mature. If you have a well-kept garden, you stand a 20% to 50% chance of beating your competitors in the property market," Mark Katende, a broker dealer in Matugga says.

Isma Kambugu a landscape professional, advises property owners to always think of a simple lawn with raised flowerbeds. This should be a carpet of grass, punctuated with a choice of a variety of flowers. Climbing plants and trees always beckon any buyer who values what his money is worth.

Visit any plush residential areas in Muyenga or Buziga, you will find that and meticulous lawn are in vogue. Plants give some personality status to the home, thus differentiating you from the crowd.

"Pick on plants that boost your property's image because they are cheaper when it comes to maintenance costs. You could also place mirrors strategically to create the impression of a larger plot," Kambugu states. Owners with sufficient space on their property can pave a third of its space.

If you want to add value to your property, it all depends on how much you have to spend on it. These qualities matter whether the property is in prime locations like Muyenga and Kololo or on the outskirts of the city or upcountry.

Take heed, bushy gardens, with collapsing poles and rotting trees make one suspicious about the condition of the details like the state of water pipes, whether the roof is leaking  or not  and rotting electric wires in the ceiling.

When targeting the family market, play items like swings, kiosks, swimming pools, gymnasiums and a library are market grabbers. A garden serves as the icing on the cake; it tickles the visual appetite as the buyer then digs deeper into the pocket for more!