Whether to move or remodel is an entirely personal choice, based on your financial situation and your personal preferences. Ask yourself first if you can renovate your house, then look at the costs involved in each decision and whether it will pay off in your situation.

The Property

Do you have the space to expand your home? In some areas, zoning restrictions may also factor into the decision. Look at your interior and assess whether you have walls that can be moved and if renovating the interior is really possible or practical.

How sound is the house? Does it have good wiring and plumbing, and is the foundation in good condition? In many instances remodeling or home expansion requires building code inspection. If these things aren’t already up to code, they will have to pass inspection. If your home has major issues, moving may prove more financially savvy than fixing it up.

Future Needs

Try to anticipate the future. Do you plan to upgrade again in the next five years or so? Or will you want to begin downsizing instead? Maybe you will want to retire in a few years, or make a lifestyle change. If you plan to stay in your home for more than five years, the money you spend on remodeling could be a sensible long-term investment.

Financial Considerations

How much equity do you have in your home? Can you secure financing to remodel or purchase a new home? How is the real estate market in your area at this time? What about the interest rates? A real estate professional can help you answer these questions.

Find out what the proper listing price would be if you were to sell your house. Next, obtain an estimate of how much it would cost to remodel your house according to your remodeling plans. Add this price to the probable list price of your house. If this total is more than 10 percent above the average home value in your neighborhood, you are “over-improving” and may end up with a white elephant on your hands. It’s difficult to sell the most expensive home on a block! Better to limit your renovations, then, or simply move.

Quality of Life

No matter which choice you make, it’s going to involve time and effort. Think about the work involved in each. If you move, you have to look for another home (or have it built), prepare your home for the market, and deal with showings and negotiations on top of packing, moving, and unpacking.

Remodeling has its drawbacks as well. You have to plan the project. Then there’s shopping for supplies if you plan to DIY, or hiring a contractor, receiving quotes or estimates, overseeing the work, and more. Not to mention the time and inconvenience involved with a house under internal construction.

Looking closely at personal, practical and financial implications will help you make a rational choice. The result: a home you will want to live with.

If you guessed that it’s the hilltop castle, you are correct. When valuing two similar pieces of property, location is king and everything else is secondary.

While it’s easy to say that the home with the view is “worth more” than the home without one, there are no rules on how much value the amenity adds.

Agents and Appraisers

Real estate professionals are at odds over this. Some claim that there is no premium for a view while others say that a view can add up to 15 percent to the value of the home over others lacking the amenity.

Researchers Mauricio Rodriguez and C.F. Sirmans reject the notion that a view has no impact on home value. Their study, published by Texas Christian University, shows that a view adds from 5 to 8 percent to the market value of a home.

Professional appraisers – those folks that tell your lender how much your home is worth – are given vague guidance by the Appraisal Institute that when valuing a property they must consider the view. What the institute doesn’t tell them, however, is how to arrive at that value.

Then there is the fact that a view may be distasteful. An auto dismantler or a rundown apartment building out of the dining room window, for instance, will drag down the value of a property. Either way, views are challenging to measure, whether that view is good or bad.

View Orientation

Is what you’re seeing out the window located close or far away? Patrick Brown and Beverly McCabe, in a report prepared for the American Appraisal Institute, claim that a close-up view is worth more than a faraway view. For instance, the Golden Gate Bridge right outside your window is worth more than if the bridge were located several miles away.

The pair also finds, though, “In some contradiction, a near view of a prized view object is preferred over a far view, while the ability to see a far distance is prized over a vista that is foreshortened.”

Then there is the orientation of the view from within the home. A view from the back of a house influences the home’s value more than a view from the front, according to the pair.

“What really counts is the (ground level) view from the back, because that’s where people live,” Ernest V. Siracusa, a Southern California real estate market analyst, tells MSN.com.

This is because almost no one spends much time in the front of a house; most of the “living” goes on at the rear. Siracusa claims that he would give a view from the front of the home “zero view premium.”

The additional value is added if the view is from areas of the home that are used the most, such as the master bedroom, dining room and kitchen.

The Worth of a View

After spending years studying the subject of the value of a view in newly constructed homes, Siracusa has come up with a range to measure the value added for different types of views and view orientations. It runs from 1 percent to 2.5 percent for a home overlooking open space to 15 to 20 percent for a water view, as long as the view is unobstructed.

He goes on to point out that if that view is of the ocean, the home may command up to 30 percent more than similar homes without the view.

That’s helpful information for builders who are attempting to put a price on new construction, but what about older, existing homes?

Earl Benson, Western Washington University marketing and finance professor, may have hit on the answer. He tells Marilyn Lewis of MSN Real Estate that his studies of Bellingham, Wash. assessor’s records combined with his own calculations showed that a home in that area with a water view would sell for $117,600 more than a home that lacks that view.

Put that house on the shore, of either the ocean or a lake, and it would command a whopping $253,280 more at close of escrow than if it were located somewhere less attractive.

While the value of a residential view fluctuates depending on orientation, the subject of the view, and the amount of obstruction, studies seem to show that the amenity does add to the resale value of a home.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in a room with a view, ensure that your real estate agent factors it into the calculations she performs to determine market value.

Saving water in and around your house battles high water bills while helping to save energy and conserve a precious resource.

Saving Water in the Bathroom

• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, shave and wash your hands. Work up the lather before turning on the water to rinse your hands. Use a glass of water to rinse your mouth. These habits can save gallons of water each day; the more people in your home, the greater the difference.

• Take a shower instead of a bath. Better yet, time your shower to limit the water you use.

• Place a large rock or a 2-liter bottle filled with water in your toilet’s water tank. This displaces some of the water, forcing the toilet to use less water when flushing. Alternatively, replace an old toilet with a low-flush model, which uses about half the water. Feel adventurous? Try a composting toilet, which uses little to no water.

• Switch showerheads. Older homes may have outdated showerheads, which deliver more than 2.5 gallons per minute (the maximum flow rate of modern shower heads). Opt for an even lower flow rate for greater water savings. Also, check if each faucet has a screw-on aerator attached to the spout to reduce water use. Low-flow aerators limit water flow to about 1 gallon per minute.

Using Less Water in the Kitchen and Laundry

Try implementing a few water-saving methods and, when it’s time to replace your washing machine or dishwasher, purchase an Energy Star approved energy and water-saving model.

• Run the dishwasher only when it’s full. Stack the items to ensure the machine operates efficiently.

• Run full loads in the washing machine. Adjust the water level if you must run a smaller load. Also, avoid the permanent press cycle; the extra rinse cycle wastes water.

• Use garbage disposal units sparingly. Try starting a compost pile with your food waste instead.

• Avoid running the water while washing dishes. Fill a double basin with hot, soapy water on one side and clean hot water for rinsing on the other. If you have a single-basin sink, use a large bowl or pan for rinsing most items instead. Alternatively, stack them in a drain rack and spray to rinse all at once.

• When rinsing vegetables, use a large bowl and then use the leftover water on your plants.

• Keep a pitcher of cold drinking water in the refrigerator. This eliminates the need to run water until it’s cold enough.

Conserving Water Outdoors

• Sweep your driveway and sidewalk rather than washing it down with a water hose.

• Instead of washing your car at home, take it to the car wash where the water is likely to be recycled.

• Mow the lawn less often. Longer grass retains water better.

• Water the grass and greenery only when absolutely necessary. Watering early in the morning and late at night, when it isn’t windy or too hot, helps reduce evaporation. Deep soak the lawn rather than lightly watering for best results.

• Mulch around plants, trees and shrubs. A 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch or compost helps repel pests, retains moisture and adds nutrients.

• Cover the swimming pool or hot tub when it’s not in use.

• Install rain barrels. Even just one rain barrel, properly maintained, will collect a tremendous amount of water, which can be used for watering plants or even flushing toilets.

As simple as most of these items seem, implementing even half of them will drastically cut down your water usage.

Let’s take a look at some tips for making a smooth transition when moving with kids.

1. Talk to Your Child

The circumstances that brought you to packing up your home and relocating have a lot to do with how your children feel about the situation. Divorce, death and other traumatic events leave them with more questions than they would have if the move is to take a job or for other, happier reasons.

Regardless of the circumstances, the best way to prepare your children is to communicate with them. Ask probing questions to get to the root of their fears, and urge them to talk about them. Answer all questions honestly. “Children require play-by-play explanations and day-by-day reassurance,” says Marie Hartwell-Walker, Ed.D at PsychCentral.

Although it’s OK to let the kids know that you too are sad, according to Hartwell-Walker, try to get the focus off the sad or frightening aspects by sharing the more exciting possibilities of the move.

2. Get Your Kids Involved

It’s easy for children to feel like the move is being forced on them, regardless of how they feel about it. If you involve them in the process, they’ll feel more invested in it.

Let them help in the hunt for a new school or new house. Ask for their opinions about what type of neighborhood you should choose and what they want in a new house.

One fun way of involving the children is to make a family wish list, according to Kate Brophy of Parents Magazine. “This will help you reach a consensus on some of the things you all want from your new home: a bigger backyard, a basement playroom, separate rooms for the kids,” Brophy says.

If it’s possible, take the kids house hunting in the new area. Let them see the school they’ll be attending. This makes the new town less of an unknown and far less scary. If it isn’t possible to take them with you, sit them down with the Internet and show them photos of the new community.

3. Help Them Say Goodbye

One of the hardest parts of moving, even for adults, is saying goodbye to friends and family. Older children, such as preteens and teens, seem to have the most difficult time, according to the experts at The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

“In general, the older the child, the more difficulty he or she will have with the move because of the increasing importance of the peer group. Preteens and teenagers may repeatedly protest the move, or ask to stay in their hometown with a friend’s family,” they claim.

Throw a goodbye party so the entire family can say goodbye en masse, or just throw a kids’ party. “Be sure to have a special address book at the party where friends can write down their contact information,” says Allison Bisbey Colter for HGTV Front Door. She goes on to mention a mom who placed self-addressed stamped cards in the goody bags. The child “got mail (at the new address) for a long time,” she quotes.

Help the kids say goodbye to the places that mean a lot to them as well. If the family spent a lot of time at a park, visit it once more. Restaurants that you frequent deserve one last visit as well.

Saying goodbye to all that is familiar is challenging for children, and experts say that it will be at least six months in the new location until the grief and anxiety wear off, according to Caroline Schaefer of Parents Magazine.

Help them through this layer of the moving onion by assisting with letter writing, setting up Skype so that the kids can see and talk to their old friends, and getting them out and about, discovering the new city.

Then there’s electricity and other needs, not to mention installation, delivery, preparing an area for it, and anything else you desire.

But having a hot tub increases your home’s value, right? Well, maybe not. It does have certain advantages, however.

How Does a Hot Tub Affect Your Home Value?

There’s no single rule for calculating how much installing a hot tub will increase the value of a given home – if it does at all. Some hot tubs may, depending on various factors.

• Is it a portable hot tub? So-called “portable” hot tubs are, as a rule, considered personal property and as such offer no added value to the house and land. And what is a portable hot tub? Any hot tub displayed on a showroom floor is a portable hot tub. It can be moved and relocated even if it is heavy and requires special equipment to deliver it to your home. Contrast portable hot tubs with permanent hot tubs: A permanent hot tub sits in the ground, much like an in-ground swimming pool. The plumbing is typically built-in as well. An in-ground hot tub may increase your home value, although generally not as much as you invested in the tub.

• Is the hot tub built-in? Even a “portable” hot tub may add real value to your home if it’s built-in. If removing the tub will cause extra construction to close or cover the hole in the deck, patio, wall or such, then it is considered built-in and may increase the home appraisal. Even then, the exact amount may vary.

• Where do you live? The climate you live in also influences the affect a hot tub may have on property value. In northern climates, for instance, outdoor swimming pools don’t always get much use. It’s simply too cold most of the year. A hot tub, on the other hand, is a pleasant retreat in the coldest of winters – even if it is outdoors. 

Residents of hot, southern climates probably won’t appreciate a hot tub in the same way. In such markets swimming pools will likely raise your home value more than a hot tub.

Calculating Your Hot Tub’s Value

Sometimes value is difficult to calculate. For some homeowners, the cost of installation or lack of resale value is secondary to the comfort and benefits of having a hot tub.

Even when they don’t increase property value, hot tubs have another real benefit: They generate interest. Homes with hot tubs may get more inquiries when the home is up for sale.

To calculate a ballpark estimate of your hot tub’s value once installed, the best thing to do is to consult a certified home appraiser. Real estate professionals may also be of assistance. They are aware of home value trends in your area at any given time and likely know if comparable homes in your neighborhood feature hot tubs. (If they do, then not having a hot tub could actually detract from your home value.)

How to Increase the Value of Your Hot Tub

When it’s time to sell your home, of course you want it to look as nice as possible. Spruce up your hot tub to make it more appealing to potential homebuyers:

• Replace old or damaged hot tub covers. Simply changing the cover can make a hot tub look more inviting.

• Clean the tub thoroughly. Depending on the material, wash and shine the exterior. Wipe down the interior to remove algae, stains or other problems, and chemically treat the water or even change the water if necessary. Remove any debris in and on the hot tub before any home viewings.

• Landscape around outdoor hot tubs. Present your spa area as a tempting retreat from the surrounding world. Build a fence to shelter it from neighbors, install mood lighting, plant greenery, make a brick or concrete path leading to the tub – anything that will help blend the tub into the home environment and increase appeal.

In the final analysis, if you’re struggling with the thought of spending the money on a hot tub, ask yourself how long you plan to remain in your home. If you can’t foresee selling and moving for a number of years, the actual financial return may be secondary to your enjoyment in the meantime.

It’s easy to imagine that if you have three kids and a dog and live in a two-bedroom house with no backyard that it’s time to buy a bigger house. As much as this appears to be true, however, there is more to moving up than merely needing to. Let’s take a look at some questions you should answer before taking the plunge into a bigger house.

Can You Afford a Larger Home?

While bigger doesn’t always equal better, when it comes to houses, it generally equals “more expensive.” A more expensive home, however, shouldn’t frighten you off the quest for more space.

If you have equity in your current home, you can use it for a large down payment on the new home, bringing your mortgage payments to a more manageable level. If you lack equity, on the other hand, it’s time to crunch the numbers to see if you can afford a larger house payment, plus all the other costs associated with living larger.

Some of the expenses you should consider include:

• Higher utility bills – It costs more to heat and cool a larger home.

• Higher maintenance costs – Larger homes cost more to maintain, both inside and outside.

• Property taxes – Depending on where you move and the home’s assessed value, you may be paying more in taxes.

• Homeowner insurance – A more expensive home will cost more to insure.

Make a household budget of every penny that comes in and how it’s spent. You may find places in the budget you can cut that will help you afford another house.

How is Your Credit?

If you’ve been living in your home for a while, you may not have paid close attention to your credit score. Lenders have tightened their standards, so getting a mortgage is a bit more challenging today than in the past.

If your credit score is less than 700, it’s a good idea to take some time to clean up any dings on your reports. With a score of 700 or more, you’ll get the best rates and thus have lower house payments.

Take a look at your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio as well. Lenders use this calculation to determine how much you can afford to borrow. Determine your ratio by adding up all of your monthly debt payments. These include:

• Auto loan.
• Credit card.
• Current mortgage or rent.
• All other recurring debt payments.

Divide the sum of these payments by your monthly gross (before tax) income and then multiply that result by 100. This is your DTI, expressed as a percent. If the result is more than 36 percent, pay off some bills and bring down high balances before applying for a mortgage.

What About Selling Your Current Home?

In a perfect world, you own your home outright so that the proceeds from its sale are all yours. The world, however, is far from perfect and, according to the Los Angeles Times, two-thirds of homeowners in the United States hold mortgages.

Although many of them have recouped much of the equity lost during the economic downturn, 19.4 percent of American homeowners are still underwater on their mortgages. If you are one of them, you’ll need to deal with short selling your home before entertaining the thought of buying another. Then, you’ll need to move quickly before the ding to your credit rating occurs.

Mortgage or not, if you need to sell your present home to purchase a larger one, you’ll also need to consider the type of market currently underway. A buyer’s market makes it a lot tougher to get top dollar for the home, and it may take longer to sell than it would in a seller’s market.

Moving up is like any other type of move: It can be stressful. Take it a step at a time – ensuring you can afford the move and finding the right house in the right neighborhood – and moving up may just be one of the best things you’ve done for your family.

If you want to add a shade structure to your yard, explore the variety of options available and customize the design based on your needs.

Design Considerations

How do you envision your backyard retreat? Here are some factors to consider:

• Location: If you wish to erect a shade structure that relies on flat ground, select an area that needs little leveling to reduce labor. Look at your backyard and consider the amount of work necessary to prepare the ground. Also consider the height of the structure and any obstructions. Nearby trees or fences may limit your options. Never build or plant anything that may interfere with underground structures and utilities, such as a septic tank, plumbing lines and buried cables. (Call 811 to request assistance.)

• Shade Level – Spend some time in your backyard, observing the amount of sun and shade available at various times of the day. In areas of intense sunlight you may want a more solid structure, and in hot climates you may desire greater yard coverage or shade attached to the house. In other areas you may want limited shade and materials that provide partial sunlight.

• Climate – Consider the weather when designing your backyard shade structure. In northern areas that receive a lot of snow, a flat roof won’t hold up well. In areas of high winds, other choices may not be sturdy. Think of how your selection will resist the sun, rain, snow and wind in your area.

• Intended Use – Choose a shade structure that best fits all the uses you envision. Pool areas don’t require much shade, for instance, so umbrellas, shrubs and vine-covered structures may fit best, while a covered patio where you wish to barbecue needs to allow smoke and odors to rapidly dissipate. Also consider young children, pets, and elderly users when selecting and designing your shade structure.

• Your Budget – One of the most important steps when planning any home project is drawing up a budget. Without a budget, it’s easy to spend more than you want to. Use your budget to help guide your shade structure selection. Factor in the cost of labor if this is not a DIY project.

Choosing a Shade Structure

You might be amazed at the variety of shade structures available. Depending on your personal style, you can choose:

• Shrubs and Trees – The original shade structure, they also help purify the air. Keep in mind that as they grow the shade will increase.

• Awnings and Screens – Choose between retractable awnings that connect to the house or removable ones attached to a permanent frame. Retractable models may also be electric and employ sun or wind sensors. Screens work well around patios and enclosures.

• Shade Sails – Like large, colorful sails on a sailboat, shade sails anchor to the house and other support structures. Make your own version with canvas and grommets if preferred. These are easily customizable.

• Trellises and Pergolas – Choose ladder-like trellises or even pergolas – monkey bar-like structures made of beams – to marry a structure with vines and other greenery.

• Gazebos and Ramadas – A stand-alone structure, a covered gazebo may feature seating and other options. Ramadas are typically square or rectangular with open sides.

No matter what you decide on, try sketching your design first. If this is a DIY project, make a list of materials needed based on your plans. Research the project and check to see how to anchor it properly. Always determine what, if any, building codes apply to your installation and if building permits are required. Visit your local building authority for further information.

When most consumers hear the word “condo” they picture a unit in a larger structure. For the most part, this is accurate. The problem, though, is that “condominium” is actually a form of ownership, not a type of structure. There are three major types of homeownership:

• Condominium.
• Fee simple.
• Cooperative.

Condominium owners own the interiors of their units and share ownership of the common areas. “Town house,” on the other hand, describes a type of structure – one that is typically two or more stories and attached to one or more other town houses, each with its own front door.

In some parts of the country, town houses may be owned as condominiums or the homeowner may own it fee simple – in which she owns the building and/or land in its entirety.

As you can see, the questions to ask if you are thinking of purchasing a town house will be quite different than those you’ll consider when purchasing a condominium unit. Let’s take a look at three of the most significant factors you should consider.

1. Homeowners Association

While not all town houses are governed by homeowners associations, many are. This fact opens up a can of worms when considering whether to purchase. HOA fees can be quite expensive, so you’ll need to take them into account when determining how much you can afford to spend on housing every month.

During the purchase process you’ll be given a pile of HOA-related paperwork, and you’ll need to read every word of every page – or have your attorney do so. You’ll want to know if the HOA is solvent, how often it levies assessments and if there is pending litigation, among other issues.

Finally, you’ll need to consider if you want to live in an area managed by an association. Some people prefer the structure that an HOA affords while others find that structure too confining.

2.  Getting Financed

Purchasing a fee simple town house is identical to purchasing a detached, single-family dwelling as far as lenders are concerned. If the town house is owned as a condominium, lending becomes a bit trickier.

Owner-occupied homes tend to be maintained better than those used strictly as rentals. Lenders understand this and make it a part of the lending decision. Find out the ratio of owner-occupied to tenant-occupied units before making an offer. If it exceeds 30 percent, you may not be able to get a mortgage for it.

Determine the percentage of homeowners that are delinquent in paying their HOA dues. This is critical information because banks typically won’t lend to anyone wishing to purchase a town house where the HOA delinquency rate is more than 15 percent.

3. Exit Strategy

If you’re using the purchase of a town house as a springboard to the future purchase of a detached home, you’ll want to plan an exit strategy. Yes, it seems silly to consider moving before the ink is dry on the purchase agreement, but it’s necessary to achieve your future goals.

Building equity in a home takes time and, depending on market conditions and the type of home you own, it may take longer with a town house. All things being equal (location, proximity to good schools, etc.) a single-family home will appreciate in value quicker than a town house. In reality, the opportunity to build equity in the first few years of ownership of any type of home is minimal unless you pay an enormous down payment.

Ask your real estate agent to give you statistics on town house sales in your area over the past year. Check the average days on the market. The longer a home remains on the market, the less money it eventually brings. Should you decide to purchase, ask your agent to keep you updated on the town house market in the future. Most agents are happy to do this.

Keep in mind that even when your equity begins building, your property taxes may rise. Property reassessments can take a bite out of how much equity you’re able to build.

Living in a town house is ideal for those who want the benefit of homeownership at a cheaper price and without some of the headaches that come with a detached home. Choose your town house wisely and with an eye toward future market value.

Assuming you have your lender’s letter, whether or not you also submit a home-offer letter depends a great deal on the type of market in which you’re buying and the competition.

The Market

When the real estate market has lots of buyers looking for homes and few houses for sale, it’s a seller’s market. With the seller in the driver’s seat, purchase offers tend to get cleaner, with fewer demands from buyers. Offering prices typically come in at or even over the asking price. When supply is low and demand is high, it’s challenging for buyers.

Several regions of the country are currently in seller’s markets. In some of the more in-demand areas of California, for instance, there are so few homes for sale and so many buyers in the market that almost 6 in 10 homes are selling in multiple offer situations, according to the California Association of Realtors®. In the second quarter of last year, home sellers received an average of 4.2 offers.

In San Antonio, Texas, homes are selling quickly and for over list price, according to Marilyn Moritz of KSAT-TV. The head of the state’s Realtors® association cautions homebuyers in these types of markets that they shouldn’t be picky and that time is of the essence when making an offer.

The Competition

If you’re unfortunate enough to have fallen in love with the same home that three other people are smitten with, be prepared to do battle. The chances are good that they, too, are preapproved for a mortgage, which puts you on equal footing. If any of them is waving cash, however, all bets are off, as the table is tilted in the cash-buyer’s favor.

There are several reasons for this, the most significant of which is that the seller doesn’t have to worry about a loan falling through if the house becomes overpriced in a bidding war. There is no appraisal with a cash offer. There is no lag time, waiting for final loan approval. Cash buyers are streamlined buyers, and they usually prevail in a bidding war.

Home-offer letters, however, have been known to sway some homeowners in this situation – especially those with an emotional attachment to the home.

The “Pick Me” Letter

The home-offer letter was created years ago to help sellers stand out from the competition. The problem now is that so many buyers use them, they may be losing their effectiveness.

Since there is no harm in trying, however, let’s take a look at some tips for the ideal home-offer letter:

• Don’t be robotic. This isn’t a form letter, it’s a letter that you hope will tip the scales in your favor, so put as much personality into it as possible. Start by using the seller’s name in the salutation. “Dear John and Mary” is far better than “Dear Seller.”

• Make it emotional. Tell the seller how the home resonates with you. Even if it’s just the color of the walls, tell the seller how much you appreciate her taste and how close it matches yours. Be sincere in telling the seller why you fell in love with the home and why you want to live in it.

• Explain why they should pick you. Point out your strong points as a buyer, such as few contingencies, your willingness to increase the offered price, or your strong credit score that will help your loan approval zip right through.

• Keep it brief. Try not to go over three to four paragraphs.

• Keep it upbeat and positive. Sellers don’t care if theirs is the ninth house you’ve made an offer on. They don’t care that you need a one-story because of health issues. Accentuate the positive and leave the complaints out of it.

Don’t forget to include photographs to help cement the fact that you are far more than a signature on a purchase agreement.

There’s an old saying that is frequently tossed around in business circles: “People do business with people they know, like and trust.” Helping the seller get to know you, like you and trust you is a tall order for a short letter, but it should be your goal nonetheless.

On a very small scale, your butterfly garden can help piece together their fragmented habitat.

What Can Gardeners Do to Protect Butterflies?

If you want to protect butterflies, put the sprayer down and step away from the pesticide! Most pesticides are not selective. The same chemical you use to kill the aphids on your roses can harm the beneficial insects living in your garden, including butterflies.

Once you’ve stopped spraying indiscriminately, you can create a butterfly garden.

The next step in protecting butterflies and creating a butterfly garden is to do a little research specific to your area. To find out which butterfly species are native to your region, the best source of information is your local cooperative extension service, university, or state fish and wildlife department. First, find out which butterfly species are native to your area. Then, research which plants serve as host plants for those specific species. This is a very important step as female adult butterflies are very particular about where they lay their eggs. They won’t lay their eggs just anywhere, because the larvae will need an immediate food source when they hatch.

What Can Gardeners Do to Attract Butterflies?

Butterflies Need Food

If you want to attract butterflies, you need to provide food sources for both the larval (caterpillar) and adult life-stages of the insect. As mentioned above, caterpillars need a host plant. Many host plants will be native to your region, and these should be incorporated into your butterfly garden. Be prepared to see these plants munched a little, and remind yourself that in a short time these hungry caterpillars will be beautiful butterflies.

As adults, butterflies need high-energy food in the form of sugar-rich plant nectar. Some specific butterfly garden plants are listed below, but please take the time to get region-specific information for your area.

Butterflies Enjoy Sunbathing

Provide a sunny, muddy puddle if you want to create a butterfly garden. The inclusion of a puddle may not be your idea of an aesthetically pleasing garden design. Not to worry. As a substitute, you can place a boulder with an indentation that will catch and hold water in a sunny location. You can also take the top off of a birdbath and place it on the ground in a planting bed filled with plants that attract butterflies. Most birdbaths are too deep for butterflies, so add some small pebbles and let them get gunky with algae. The butterflies will love it.

A Place for Laying Eggs

The adult female will also need plants where she can lay her eggs. These are the caterpillar host plants specific to each species that I mentioned above. Luckily, many common garden plants attract butterflies and serve as host plants.

Garden Plants That Attract Butterflies

It’s important to do your species-specific research before making a list of plants and visiting the garden center. That said, there are several garden plants that can be used in your butterfly garden. Some even provide habitat for both life stages.

Host Plants for Caterpillars:

Alcea rosea (hollyhock)

Betula spp. (birch)

Ceanothus spp. (wild lilac)

Cornus spp. (dogwood)

Escallonia spp. (escallonia)

Helianthus spp. (sunflower)

Humulus lupulus (hops)

Lavandula spp. (lavender)

Lavatera (tree mallow)

Lupinus (lupine)

Pinus spp. (pine)

Quercus spp. (oak)

Rhododendron sp. (rhododendron and azalea)

Salix sp. (willow)

Spirea spp. (spirea)

Nectar Plants for Adult Butterflies:

Achillea spp. (yarrow)

Ceanothus spp. (wild lilac)

Chrysanthemum spp. (daisy)

Cosmos bipnnatus (cosmos)

Cornus spp. (dogwood)

Helianthus spp. (sunflower)

Iberis sempervirens (candytuft)

Lupinus (lupine)

Philadelphus lewisia (mock orange)

Sambucus spp. (elderberry)

Spirea spp. (spirea)

Syringa vulgaris (lilac)

Teucrium chamaedrys (germander)

Verbena bonariensis (tall verbena)