Should I Plant a Privacy Hedge or Keep My Rental Property Low-Maintenance

[David Alejandro Hernàndez]

Hello everyone,

I have purchased my very first property. I am living in it to make some improvements to increase its rental value. Once I have enough money for a down payment on another property, I plan to turn this property into a rental and move into a new home.

My question is about planting a privacy hedge (Clusia) around my backyard. The yard is currently fenced. I would plant small hedges because they are much cheaper. However, in 2-3 years, they will require regular trimming, which will cost money. Should I go ahead with planting the hedge, or should I keep the property as plain and maintenance-free as possible?

Additional information: I do not plan to keep this house forever. Eventually, I might do a 1031 exchange. The property is currently valued at roughly $330,000 and rents for $2500/month. I am adding a 4th bedroom, which will increase its value.

Hello everyone, I have purchased my very first property, I am living in it to do some improvements, increase rental value and when I have enough money for the down payment in the next property turn into a rental and move into another property. 
The question I have is, I would like to plant a privacy hedge (Clusia) around my backyard, it is currently fenced, I'd plant them small because they're much cheaper,however, I know 2-3 years down the line they're going to require trimming every so often and that will need to be paid, the question becomes, is this something I should do or should I keep the property as plain and maintenance free as possible? 
Additional information, I do not plan to keep the house forever, eventually I might 1031 one exchange. The property value as of today is roughly $330,000, and rents for $2500/month, I am adding a 4th bedroom and will become a more valuable home.

Thank you so much for your attention and participation.

[Sherry McQuage]

Congratulations about buying your first rental property!

Once you decide to move out and turn this one into a rental, will it be a STR or a LTR? What type of renter do you think it will attract? How important is privacy for that type of renter? Would a privacy hedge noticeably add to the privacy of the back yard? Would it make the yard "more attractive"?

I'm not familiar with Clusia...is it really hard to maintain/trim?

What type of fencing/privacy hedge do nearby attractive properties have? 

See what is popular (rental wise) around you.  Since it will eventually be a rental property and you'll have to hire someone to cut the grass anyway (I assume there's grass😂) would trimming the hedges add a lot to the expense, or add a lot to the desirability of the property?

Let us know what you decide, and how it turns out.  Best to you!

[Nathan Gesner]

I would make the property as low-maintenance as possible. You don't want tenants hacking up your hedges and you don't want the responsibility yourself each year.

[Lynn McGeein]

@David Alejandro Hernàndez “harden” your rentals, do not add high maintenance items. If privacy is an issue, find a low-maintenance privacy fence, and even those are a pain because somehow tenants constantly break the latches and hinges on the gates. If there is landscaping that you can add where, once established while you live there, requires very little maintenance and water, then do that. Tenants rarely water anything. Maintenance costs don’t usually decrease over the years, so if you go with landscaping that needs care, expect your costs to increase over time.

[John Martynyszyn]

Whatever you decide to do, ensure that you're allowed to plant these hedges in the first place. Whether that be checking your local zoning codes or HOA declaration if there is one. The last thing you want to do is spend a few thousand planting clusia, and then have to spend another couple thousand because it violates an ordinance. The same goes for adding a fourth bedroom to the home.

*Not legal advice. No attorney-client privilege has been created by the posting of this message.

[Alecia Loveless]

@David Alejandro Hernàndez I had a 20’ privacy hedge around my pool that had become overgrown. Trimming it every year was expensive and it always looked terrible after the trim until 2-3 months later when it had started growing in.

I wouldn’t waste the money. Tenants won’t maintain it and you’ll have an annual expense of a couple hundred bucks.

[Colleen F.]

@David Alejandro Hernàndez  Privacy vegetation will make your property more attractive if you are on a main road or throughfair. If you are backing up to something that isn't an eyesore or a busy street leave it be. If your backyard flanks something unattractive plant the bushes, it is worth the cost.