Because you are selling the house and do not plan to live with the potential mistakes you make I would take the most conservatiive approach possible. I agree that the house has wonderful bones and I appreciate that you want to show it off, but other than cleaning things up, I would let the new home owners make their own decisions. ESPECIALLY, please, do not remove the foundation plantings and just stick in any, old HD special.

The spruce, however, should probably go. It sounds like it would be hard for you to lose it personally because you know that the birds like it. However, from a home-buyer perspective it completely hides your home and is not particularly attractive any longer. The home-buyer will likely not be swayed by the fact that the birds enjoy it. I think it should be removed.

My suggestions, again, are mainly just to neaten things up a bit, lay the sod and, other than removing the spruce, do not make any other major changes. Let the new owner decide how they wish to landscape their home.

Patty

I am far from an expert in this area, but since I recently purchased a new home and I am still trying to sell my old home I might be able to add something. The best advice is probably to spend as little as you can on your landscape. Spending $200 to spruce up your yard might be worthwhile, but $1,000+ is a waste. Somebody will purchase your home because of its location, the number of bedrooms, the layout, the number of baths, the neighborhood, and similar features. They will not purchase your home for the landscape.

So why spend any money on your landscape? The reason is that potential buyers want the impression that they are purchasing a house that has been loved and maintained. If they notice a dozen problems before they even get to the front door, then they will look for other problems. Another reason is the real estate buzz word "curb appeal". The front of your house will be the fist thing shoppers see when they drive by or search on the Internet.

Looking at the pictures, I agree that you should make some improvements to your landscape (provided that the inside of the house is in good shape). I would likely not remove anything that was not dead or in real bad shape. Prune back the overgrown shrubs, get some grass in there, get rid of the weeds, spread some mulch and straighten up. Removing the lower limbs from the spruce would open up the front of your house. You are not going to be able to create a dream landscape on a tight budget in just a few weeks, so do not try.

- Brent

Thanks. I am having some major tree trimming as well bush removal done for two basic reasons - 1) a new roof is going on in two weeks and I need to give the guys room to work and 2) I need to improve the curb appeal and the backyard so not to turn off buyers. The inside is just going through a major spring cleaning including washing the mini-blinds and packing away or giving away excess decor. I just need a few minor repairs which will be done before sale date.

I think I am going to have the tree trimmer shape the burning bush into a small tree. The neighbor has a tree this height and it looks good, Once the spruce is opened up more the house will show through. I have solar shades on my upper porch which creates a outdoor room of sorts. And I added some bright cushions on my patio chairs. Of course, the porch will be painted too.

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DO NOT trim that spruce. Either cut it down (not necessary if you are moving, leave that decision up to the new owners) or just leave it. Spruce trees are meant to have a layered support structure that starts from the bottom. That is their natural form. Cut off the bottom branches and the whole structure falls apart. The bottom branches now droop and can break due to the weight of accumulated ice and snow and lack of support. The whole tree starts to look droopy and unnatural. Those spruces look cute when they are little, grandious when they are full grown, and like hulking monsters when they outgrow their small lots. Right tree, right spot = happy tree, happy homeowner. Wrong tree, wrong spot can never be compensated for by bad pruning. Don't worry about this. It's for the next owners. Just clean up what you have, repair, minor pruning. I agree about tearing out small stuff though. But if you can't do it on your own, don't worry about it. Replace small stuff with either bark mulch or small cheapie ubiquitous bushes. Nothing looks good too, it allows the prospective buyers to imagine their own tastes in landscaping. Clean and tidy is all you have to worry about.

If you find the spruce is really a detriment to the sale of your house, cut it down and replace it with a tri-branched river birch, cutesy crab or bloodgood japanes maple and a mugo pine from the big box. Keep it simple. Removing the spruce will be expensive, I'm betting you don't need to do it.

I have to trim the spruce away from the roof, walls and sidewalk but I will have the guy be conservative about it. I am also thinking I will have the dead back branches taken out but leave more of the front than previously planned. The roofers and painters have to have room to work. I am NOT going to cut this tree down, no way. One of the reasons I bought the house was because of the tree. Most houses in this neighborhood have no privacy - we are not allowed to put up 6' fences. Plus this tree and my other trees help keep my house cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. The next owner will have to be the one to take the responsibility of taking out this tree. It won't be me.

I hear ya TDG. I lived in a house for five years fronted by a hulking Douglas fir. Looked odd from the street but I loved the privacy and the view out the window of the tree, not the neighbors house and the way it blocked the hot summer sun and cold winter winds.

Whew! I immediately went into panic mode when I read that your "landscape guy" was going to cut off all bottom branches of your spruce up to 15', but I feel better now that I see lpinkmountain has addressed the issue. Let me repeat the pertinent part of his/her post:

"Spruce trees are meant to have a layered support structure that starts from the bottom. That is their natural form. Cut off the bottom branches and the whole structure falls apart. The bottom branches now droop and can break due to the weight of accumulated ice and snow and lack of support. The whole tree starts to look droopy and unnatural."

PLEASE do not let your guy do anything more than remove dead branches! Trim live branches off, and I'm afraid you may be slowly killing the tree. I'd leave that project to the new owner; that is, if you really like the spruce.

Yea I thought about that too...but in the picture of the front walk (the 4th one) it looks like the lower 8' or so of branches have already been removed.

- Brent

Take the spruce out and replace it with another tree that won't outgrow the space, or leave it treeless. I suspect that a potential buyer is going to look at the tree and see the expense of having it removed.