Fencing

Another of the questions in response to my post was from Teresa, who asked if adding a fence would aid in resale vaule of her home. In a word, yes. You see value a couple different ways. First, in terms of hard numbers, you will gain back about 80 to 85% of your investment. Second, a potential Buyer can see two houses - one with a fence, and one without. Nine out of ten Buyers will see the house without the fence as the house that needs a fence, and adds it to his list of cons for that house. Third, anyone with a dog generally wants a fence.

Adding a fence frames your property nicely, and lends to the curb appeal - which is vital, because if you are selling your house, you have to get them in the house first! I have many clients who will pull up to a house and not even go in because the outside lacks curb appeal.

The first thing I did when we moved into our new house? I added a fence. And, the single most important thing about a fence - if it's wood - stain it each of the first two years, and every other year after. I'm astonished by the amount of people that invest a nice chunk of change in a cedar fence, only to never stain it, and let it gray, and rot.