Every commercial property owner knows a professionally landscaped property is a more valuable one. It helps save on heating and cooling costs, reduces noise pollution, and fights erosion. There’s a high ROI with professional landscaping as a report from the University of Washington found that commercial properties with a well-maintained landscape will bring in 7% more in rental revenue. And customers may be willing to spend 12% more in establishments with professional landscaping and travel further to get to them. It also helps with resale value, increasing it as much as 14%.
However, the benefits to a beautiful landscape are more than merely monetary; it can be invaluable to the overall wellbeing of its inhabitants.
Biophilia is the belief that as humans, we have an innate connection with nature, an inborn need to be surrounded by things that are alive. The term was originally coined by psychoanalyst Eric Fromm who called it “the passionate love of life and of all that is alive.” Architects of today understand the importance of biophilia and instead of designing cold, sterile spaces that will hold as many businesses or tenants as possible, they are incorporating the natural world into them by using natural lines in their designs instead of boxy ones. By bringing plant life inside and having a professionally designed landscape where people can gather and enjoy nature, it satisfies our need for biophilia and its benefits cascade through our mental wellbeing.
Companies like Apple realize the importance that nature holds in our lives and are bringing trees inside and creating offices in scenic areas with incredible views. While not every company can build a cutting-edge city-sized building in the mountains of California, any company can use their landscape to create a greener, healthier space and reap its benefits for its inhabitants.
A beautiful landscape reduces stress and can even lower blood pressure. Having plants within the building and lots of green outside where employees can escape allows them to relax more, which in turn, reduces fear, anger, and frustration. Employees who feel less stress report higher job satisfaction and are more apt to stay in the job longer. All of this contributes to increased productivity.
Exposure to nature has been proven to be a natural antidepressant that can relieve or prevent depression and brooding, and exposure to nature has even been thought to make us kinder and more giving.
For residential properties, a professionally landscaped property attracts and retains tenants. Nature makes us feel at home, and creating a landscape with gathering spaces in which tenants can get outside and relax with friends and family will make it a home. Rental property owners lose a lot of money in lost rent when there’s a large turnover rate in their rentals. Creating a home will help increase retention rates. Besides feeling at home, a beautiful landscape will instill a sense of pride and belonging in your tenants.
In both offices and residential buildings, green spaces can make people feel safer by reducing crime. Professionally maintained areas have been found to reduce criminal activity. Plants cause people to relax, and green spaces invite people to gather outside which in turn increases surveillance of the area. In urban areas, buildings with a lot of plants and grass have 48% fewer property crimes and 56% fewer violent crimes.
An inviting landscape encourages people to get out and enjoy it. Whether it’s an office worker walking the property during her lunch hour or a residential tenant throwing a football with his children, a well-maintained landscape encourages people to be more active which is vital for proper health. When we’re healthier and happier, we’re more able to give to our family, our friends, our jobs, and ourselves.
Money may not be able to buy happiness, but when it comes to property management, happiness can bring you money. By reducing worker turnover rates, lost hours due to mental and physical issues, and unrented spaces, a well-designed and properly maintained landscape can contribute to increased revenue. Everybody’s happy!
Call Bluegrass today at Call (314)770-2828 and start feeling good about your landscape.
