I think each market is different. In a winter climate a pond and even a bog is a lot more work and you get less prime time in return. I was expecting my ponds at my San Jose CA house to be a big problem for selling but was surprised they turned out to be an asset. For a few buyers the pond was the key feature. A did tear down some of the ponds and filled in others with gravel converting them to bogs. It was easy to show buyers the lush plants in the bogs and that it required zero weeding and adding water once a month was all that was needed. They all seem to see the low maintenance feature of bogs. From there is was an easy sell to say if they didn't like the remaining ponds in the future they could also be filled in with pea gravel and converted into bogs. They liked having an option. A lot of people wonder what they would do with pond if they didn't like it and think it's a huge deal to remove. Also I explained to families with small kids that the pond could be filled with gravel and then gravel removed as kids got older. Add to that a few "ponds are such great ways for kids to learn about nature" and they were sold. The house did end up selling to people with small kids and they wanted the ponds to stay. I had offered to convert all ponds to bogs to all buyers. People love the lush look... But worry about maintenance. Once they see the gravel and the pots they seemed to understand it was low maintenance. I also think not having a bunch of complex looking filters helped. These ponds only had a skimmer and UV which was off and had been off for more than a year. I also had a vacuuming system which was easy for people to relate to, they understood vacuuming.

I sure did and didn't care what they thought. Just a simple copy and paste from excel to give you an idea. Species / Cultivar / Type / Quantity / Purchase / Where / Location / Notes Aesculus Homestead Tree 1 4/1/2010 Johnson Left Side Yard Trim out dead wood Amur Maackia Straight Tree 1 9/8/2008 Johnson Right Side Corner Patio Trim out dead wood Arboritae Danica Evergreen 1 8/31/2007 Steins Left side front step Azaela Rosebud Shrub 3 10/1/2008 Steins Died Berberis Crimson Pygmy Shrub 2 8/14/2008 Heritage Right Side back side lotline Betula River Tree 1 8/21/2007 Heritage Back corner of house - right side lot line Betula Heritage Tree 1 4/19/2008 Steins Front corner of house - right side lot line Euonymos Dwarf Burning Shrub 1 8/31/2007 Steins Back corner of house Campanpula Blue Clips Perrenial 6 8/1/2009 Johnson border plant along entry walk Pick dead blooms for constant rebloom Aronia Black Iroqouis Beauty Shrub 3 8/19/2008 Heritage Behind river birch Echinacea Purple Perrenial 2 5/16/2008 Heritage In front of fireplace Echinacea Kim's Kneehigh Perrenial 4 7/23/2008 Heritage In front of fireplace Coreopsis Zagreb Perrenial 3 6/16/2008 McKay Behind Seven Son Flower - Back corner lot line Shear back in march to a few inches above ground Leucanthemum Shasta Snowcap Perrenial 3 7/23/2008 Heritage border plant along entry walk cut back to ground in march Daylily Little Wine Cup Perrenial 4 6/16/2008 McKay border plant along entry walk cut back to ground in march Daylily Strawberry Candy Perrenial 6 9/1/2008 McKay In front of Wolf Eyes dogwood and Lilac tree cut back to ground in march Daylily Awesom Blossom Perrenial 2 4/1/2009 McKay In front of River Birch cut back to ground in march Cornus Ivory Halo Shrub 3 5/26/2008 Heritage Right side lot line Cut oldest stems to the ground. Can be cut back a few feet in march if growing out of bounds Forsythia Fiesta Shrub 4 4/13/2009 Lieds Front of patio to left Can be cut back after blooms in march Fothergilla Mount Airy Shrub 2 9/1/2009 McKay Left side lot line inbetween Celebration maples Gernaium Jolly Bee Perrenial 3 4/1/2009 McKay In front of Celebration maples and hawthrones at back lot line Gernaium Rozanne Perrenial 3 8/18/2009 Johnson In front of Celebration maples and hawthrones at back lot line Ginkgo Autumn Gold Tree 1 4/1/2009 Lieds Front yard left side Crataegus Crusader Tree 1 8/1/2009 Wendland Back lot line left side Honeysuckle Cool Splalsh Shrub 3 5/2/2009 Heritage Inbetween Crusader and Swamp Oak Hydrangea Quickfire Shrub 2 8/14/2008 Heritage Inbbetween Autumn Blaze Pear and Maple + Autumn Blaze Maple and Lilac Hydrangea Twist and Shout Shrub 3 5/8/2009 Steins Died Hydrangea Tardiva Shrub 1 9/10/2009 Johnson Outside masterbed back window Hypericum Ames Shrub 3 9/1/2008 McKay Rightside patio Juniperus Andorra Evergreen 2 8/21/2007 Heritage Left and right side patio Juniperus Parsons Evergreen 1 10/1/2008 Steins Next to Leonard Magnolia, back corner left Juniperus Hughes Evergreen 1 7/31/2009 McKay Back right corner lot line Cercidiphyllum japonicium Straight Tree 2 10/9/2009 Johnson Behind Hawthorns and back lot line Syringa Dwarf Korean Shrub 3 8/21/2007 Heritage Left side house Syringa Summer Snow Tree 1 9/8/2008 Johnson Right side back lot line Magnolia Merril Tree 1 5/26/2008 Heritage Right back corner of house Magnolia Royal Star Shrub 1 7/21/2008 Steins Front corner of house - right side lot line Magnolia Leonard Messil Shrub 1 7/21/2008 Steins Side lot line, back left Malus Coralburst Tree 1 8/16/2008 Lammscapes Right side back lot line Acer Freeman Celebration Tree 2 8/27/2007 Heritage Left side of house Acer Freeman Autumn Blaze Clump tree 1 4/1/2009 Lieds Right side side lot line towards corner cut back to ground in march Chrysanthemum Mammoth Dark Pink Perrenial 2 8/30/2009 Johnson Near Riverbirch and Leonard Magnolia Physocarpus Summerwine Shrub 1 8/21/2007 Heritage Backlot line left side Can be cut back after blooms in june (just above ground if necessary) Physocarpus Diablo Shrub 4 5/3/2008 Heritage Left side lot line inbetween Celebration maples Can be cut back after blooms in june (just above ground if necessary) Pyrus calleryana Autumn Blaze Tree 1 8/21/2009 Heritage Left corner of house to the left Pinus Dwarf Mungo Evergreen 1 8/31/2007 Steins Right side patio Potentilla Pink Beauty Shrub 3 9/1/2008 McKay Border shrub right side back lot line Rose Magic Meidiland Shrub 2 4/1/2009 McKay Right side side lot line Cut back 2' above ground in march Rose Accents Ole Shrub 4 5/2/2009 Heritage Right side corner patio + front yard to the left by Ginkgo Cut back 2' above ground in march Rose Carpet Pink Supreme Shrub 3 8/1/2009 Steins Right side front yard in front of Birch Cut back 2' above ground in march Rose EE Sunrise Sunset Shrub 3 8/24/2009 Heritage Front of entry walkway Cut back 2' above ground in march Rose Whiete Meidiland Shrub 3 8/26/2009 McKay Border plant in front of baywindow Cut back 2' above ground in march Rose Pink Knock Out Shrub 1 8/26/2009 McKay Left side of bay window Cut back 2' above ground in march Athela Minerva Shrub 1 9/2/2007 Lammscapes Left side of house Leafs out very late Athela Aphrodite Shrub 1 5/1/2009 Steins Right side corner of house Leafs out very late Amelanchier x grandiflora Autumn Brilliance Tree 1 5/3/2008 Heritage Right side of house near air conditioner Heptacodium miconioides Straight Tree 1 10/9/2009 Johnson Right side back corner lot line Spirea Goldmound Shrub 3 8/21/2007 Heritage border plant front corner of house Spirea Goldflame Shrub 7 8/21/2007 Heritage back of house near masterbed window + left side patio Spirea Snowmound Shrub 3 5/11/2008 Steins inbetween Celebration maples Spirea Birchleaf Shrub 3 8/19/2008 Heritage borderplant for Crusader Hawthorn back right lot line Spirea Fritsch Shrub 4 10/5/2009 Johnson borderplant for Seven Son Flower, back right corner lot line Spirea Magic Carpet Shrub 3 10/6/2009 Johnson borderplant for Autumn Blaze maple, right side side lot line Sumac Gro-low Shrub 3 10/4/2009 Johnson border plant in front of Coralburst Crabapple Veronica Purpleicious Perrenial 3 6/16/2008 McKay Right side patio Viburnum Mohican Shrub 2 8/22/2008 Lammscapes Right side side lot line Viburnum Blackhaw Shrub 1 8/29/2008 Steins behind celebration maple Viburnum Carlesii Shrub 1 9/1/2008 McKay front patio Viburnum Summer Reflection Shrub 3 4/1/2010 Johnson inbetween Celebration maples Weigelia Fine Wine Shrub 4 8/21/2007 Heritage side bay window Salix purpurea 'Nana' Shrub 4 5/25/2008 Steins inbetween hawthorns at back lot line Must cut back 1-2' above ground in March EVERY year Salix integra Hakuro Nishiki' Shrub 2 8/14/2008 Heritage inbetween hawthorns at back lot line Must cut back 1-2' above ground in March EVERY year Hamamelis vernalis straight Shrub 1 9/8/2008 Johnson Left corner of house Taxus cuspidata straight Evergreen 6 8/21/2007 Heritage right side of house Clethra Ruby Spice Shrub 1 5/1/2010 Minors Right side of entry back corner Requires supplemental water Clethra Sixteen Candles Shrub 1 5/1/2010 Minors in front of Sandcherry, side of entry Requires supplemental water Fothergilla Blue Shadow Shrub 1 5/1/2010 Minors side of entry Requires supplemental water Fothergilla Gardeni Shrub 1 5/1/2010 Minors side of entry Requires supplemental water Heurcha Georgia Peach Perrenial 3 5/1/2010 Minors side of entry Requires supplemental water Salvia Blue Hill Perrenial 3 6/1/2010 Bluestone behind White Meidland rose Relocate - temp. spot Chrysanthemum Sheffield Perrenial 3 6/1/2010 Bluestone behind White Meidland rose Relocate - temp. spot Hydrangea Tickled Pink Shrub 1 6/1/2010 Steins left side entry Carpinus Carolinia Straight Tree 1 6/1/2010 Minors right side front yard Tilia Tomentosa Sterling Silver Tree 1 6/1/2010 Minors front front yard Cornus Kousa Wolf Eyes Tree 1 5/1/2010 Minors right side patio Quercus Bicolor Straight Tree 1 5/1/2010 Minors left corner back lot line Enoyonmus Blondy Shrub 3 6/1/2010 Lowes inbetween hawthorns at back lot line Sweetspire Henrys Garnet Shrub 1 6/1/2010 Steins behind Macckia, right corner patio Aster Woods Pink Perrenial 1 5/1/2010 Steins Near ginkgo, alive? cut back to ground in march Aster Farmington Perrenial 1 6/1/2010 Steins Near ginkgo, alive? cut back to ground in march Rose Northern Accents Lena Shrub 1 6/1/2010 Steins patio front Cut back 2' above ground in march Barberry Rosy Glow Shrub 3 5/1/2010 Steins behind Crusader hawthorn, back lot line Boxwood Green Velvet Shrub 3 5/1/2010 Minors Under baywindow Barberry Concorde Shrub 2 6/1/2010 Steins right side side lot line Hydrangea Invincible Spirit Shrub 1 6/1/2010 Home Depot next to Athela, by Silver Maple at back right corner Purple Leaf Sandcherry Tree 1 - - Right side entry way Cut down, to big for this spot

Yeah, read the two new ones, but they were vague. I didn't bother with the old edition because it was 10 years ago, totally different market! Apparently the new one takes the current slow market into consideration, curious if anyone else read it yet...

Thanks everyone's command. Where my neighborhood are mixed houses. Some are old (70's or 80's), some are very new (late 90's and 2000's). Some are big and some are small (from 1500 sf to 7000 sf). There are current 3 houses on my street for sale. One list for $769k, another one FSBO is 500 sf smaller than my house, little older than my house, but with swimming pool, they ask for $429K. I think our price is very reasonable. Plus, my street is Jewish community (though we are not Jewish) list as "green zone". Means during Sat worship they can use stroller, etc since it has two worship at each end of the street. I think it is highly desirable street for some Jewish family who wish to live close by their worship... Anyway, here is what I want to do. I call the listing agent to cancel the listing next week. Then I will try to drop more price to do FSBO or use some Flat fee listing services. Even I like our listing agent, but by dropping the price further, I can no longer afford their 6% fee. I am thinking to drop down to $389k. Just need to sell ASAP. If you are know anyone looking, please pass by this info for me. Thanks so much!