However, this opportunity is available to many homeowners. What is the best improvement that you can make to your house? The one that will provide you with the greatest return?

Now, just about everyone is going to say “kitchens and bathrooms”. But in most instances, they only return about 70 to 80 per cent of their original value. So, what kind of an investment is that?

The answer is found as close as your nearest garden centre. Trees, shrubs, perennials and grass is the answer. You can improve your property’s streetscape and curb appeal immensely by adding only a few modest improvements. A few hundred dollars invested could provide you with thousands at the time of sale, and of course, it’s all tax free. After a few years, in a good market you could easily have a 1,000 per cent return, and in a bad market, yours will be the first to sell.

Like any other investment you should take time to consider your options and invest wisely. Let’s say you wish to have a Colorado Blue Spruce on your front lawn. Fully grown it will have a 12 foot diameter. So, it must be placed at least seven feet from the property line.

Maybe you would like to have a nice Maple tree, but don’t forget about its 25 foot branch width and below the ground, the 25 foot reach of its roots. You will be responsible for any damage done by the branches and roots of your trees to neighbour’s property and to the underground utilities.

Make sure that any trees you select will grow in proper proportion to your house. And, don’t place the tree directly in front of your front door. If it obstructs the view of the front door from the street, then it will not add value. Overgrown shrubbery and trees that block the house will detract from your property. Try to place large trees around the perimeter of your property for the best increase in value.

Aside from trees, a good well cared-for front lawn is one of your best investments. This time of year is the perfect timing for over seeding and winter fertilizer.

And remember, if you are planning to put your house on the market before next May, take some digital pictures while everything is still in bloom.

• Are ETFs a Good Way to Create Secondary Streams of Income? ETFs, or Exchange Traded Funds, are all the rage in the investment world, but so far, they really don’t have much of a track record. This is a fairly new method for investing and the long term data just isn’t there to determine how effective these investments can be over......
• When Your Investment Portfolio Returns To New Highs Six months ago, the Dow Jones closed at 6,700. Look at it now! So far, my earlier prognostications and expectations about the stock market possibly revisiting its lows somewhere at the 6,000 level for the DJIA, have been proven “wrong” (I owe some of these prognostications to the influence......
• Thank God for Dancing with the Stars! Oh...and the housing market! Greetings from Cedar Crest, NM.....It is getting cooler......leaves are changing...AND..... This world is stinking crazy and it is getting worse....you think?  We have Brittany Spears doing everything she can to throw away here career. Then you have Ahmadinejad speaking at Columbia University....what is up with that?  O.J. Simpson gets busted......
• Pay down debt or invest There’s a debate you read often on personal finance blogs: if you have a large sum of money, should you use it to pay down debt or invest? The answer is usually dependent on the person’s risk tolerance, but I think it also depends on the nature of the......
• The Mortgage Crisis and Investments in Real Estate According to regional and state real estate analysts, the factors which previously fueled the housing boom of the last few years are easy to explain. The factors that fueled this boom in the real instate industry ranged significantly, including: - Interest rates that were historically low. - Flight-Risk Safety Investments......