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When you’re creating a landscaping plan for your home it is essential to design around the local climate and weather patterns. When you opt for plants that thrive in your area, you know they are well equipt to handle the seasonal changes specific to your location. This adaptation makes them easier to care for and less dependent on extra watering. It is especially important to integrate this kind of landscaping when there is some level of drought occurring where you live.
Drought tolerant landscaping is a beautiful way to save on water usage. The good news is that creating a more drought-tolerant yard doesn't necessarily mean removing all of the plantings you currently have.
Large trees are a great asset, plan on keeping those. Well placed trees provide shade for your home and garden which can be an energy saver all year long. Shade trees also allow a diverse variety of plants to grow comfortably and provides nesting habitat for birds and other native wildlife.
A drought-tolerant landscape typically includes little to no grass. Grass requires regular watering to keep it green and thriving. Lawn watering can be expensive and seasonally limited by the town or city where you reside. Opting to replace even a section of your lawn with a rock garden or wildflowers is guaranteed to reduce your water bill.
Focus on plants local to your area. These plants have evolved to handle the local climate and will have the best chance of growing with little to no input from you. In general, using rocks or wood pellets instead of grass for ground covering will serve you well. Try lava rock to cut down on erosion and help the soil retain more water. Install ground cloth under the rock bed or add mulch to curb weed growth and protect your native plants from insects. For an added boost for your plantings, add compost to your soil before the mulch.
An irrigation system could be a helpful addition to your landscape because it allows you to control where and how much you’re watering. If you have an irrigation system in place be sure to have it serviced regularly, especially if you have made changes to the plantings or green areas in your yard.
If you’re considering installing a new system, an efficient option is a grey-water system. Grey-water irrigation allows for the reuse of water from your in-home sinks, washing machines, showers, and bathtubs to water your plants.
The right landscaping can boost your curb appeal and property value to the next level. Ask your real estate agent for their advice and professional landscaper recommendations in your area.
Common-interest housing includes individually owned spaces and common areas shared by all owners. The common areas can include clubhouses, landscaping, parking lots or pools. Multistory buildings share lobbies, stairwells, and elevators. Any community that shares property including single-family free-standing homes in developments, falls into the common-interest category.
The two most familiar types of common-interest housing terms are condominiums (or condos) and townhomes (or townhouses). Although both belong in the category of common-interest housing, condos and townhouses may mean different things depending on regional or legal definitions.
A condo is a shared building or group of buildings and common spaces in which housing units are owned individually. This could be a single unit within a tower building or a conjoined home having its own ground floor with exterior entry. Other homes in the condominium category include single-family cottages or even modular homes inside planned communities. When you purchase a condo, you own the unit itself while you are a co-owner of the common areas.
A townhome is a style of house that is connected to another structure on at least one side. It may be solely owned by an individual as part of a CID, part of a multi-family apartment dwelling, or individually owned without property in common. A true townhome is built with independent sidewalls that stand alone even if they touch the walls of another townhome. When you purchase a townhouse, you own the unit itself and whatever yard area is affiliated with it as you would with a detached single-family house.
While condominium units might incorporate elements like private outdoor spaces, individual ground-floor entry options or design elements that resemble those of a townhome, it is ownership that truly defines them.
All CID properties have a homeowners’ association (HOA) of some sort. While some are mainly hands-off with regard to individual units, others have specific regulations regarding renting, remodeling, and exterior décor.
If you are trying to decide between purchasing a condominium or a townhouse, have your agent explain the differences in common ownership between them, and make certain to factor in the HOA fees to your monthly budget.
