Residing in a house on a large piece of land is the dream for anyone who yearns for privacy, nature, and peace. Shopping for rural properties instead of urban or suburban homes lets you buy more real estate with the same resources. Living in the country gives you room to be more self-sufficient, pursuing agriculture for consumption and profit.

However, upkeep is one of the downsides to owning a property on a large acreage. It is hard to fully grasp the difficulty of keeping such an estate in pristine condition until you face overwhelming maintenance tasks. Follow these 10 tips to make your life easier.

1.   Develop a Master Plan

Determine what you want to do with your property. Your vision will guide your actions toward improving it.

What activities do you wish to pursue? How much of your yard do you want to remain vacant? Consider what structures you intend to build and any prevailing threats you should keep in mind.

Amenities change a property’s maintenance needs. Answer these questions to take appropriate steps toward realizing your vision.

2. Fence Your Property

Build a fence around your land. It accomplishes more than just delineating your property. An enclosure helps keep wildlife at bay, protecting your crops and livestock from wandering critters.

An to scare away powerful and aggressive predators like black bears. Moreover, a secure barrier keeps your farm animals in and prevents them from inconveniencing your neighbors.

A fence — with or without a sign — is a universal reminder of when a piece of land is private property. Most passersby will respect it and leave. Fewer inadvertent trespassers mean a reduced chance of accidental damage to your estate, reducing your maintenance duties.

3. Invest in Proper Gear

Buy essential tools to handle lawn care yourself. Living in a sparsely populated area means outsourcing yardwork is less feasible, affordable, and convenient. If you have the necessary equipment, you can prune plants, mow, edge, and aerate your vast land properly and safely.

4. Declutter Your Yard

Remove all junk from your property. Litter, jalopies, dilapidated sheds, and construction debris are eyesores and health hazards. They may provide shelter to pests, such as rodents and snakes.

Decluttering your property has psychological benefits, too. It helps clear your mind and imagine the possibilities you can do with your land.

5. Plant Native Greenery

Grow native trees to beautify your landscape, enjoy outdoor shade, and attract desirable fauna like pollinating insects and birds. Trees have their maintenance needs, but native ones are a net positive. They are low maintenance because the , reducing water usage. Native trees are more resilient to vermin, too.

6. Water at Night

Irrigate your yard when the sun is down. Daytime irrigation accelerates evaporation. Watering your trees and shrubs during the hottest months when it is cooler helps keep them from getting thirsty more quickly.

Water conservation matters more when your property does not have a municipal water service line. Climate change threatens the integrity of various water sources, including groundwater. Extended droughts and rising sea levels cause saltwater to , intruding natural freshwater reservoirs, including aquifers. If you want your life as a country dweller to be comfortable, observe water-saving practices and be self-sufficient.

7. Prepare for Storm Cleanup

Have contacts that can quickly come to your rescue when you need to remove hazards from your yard after a natural disaster. The scattered building materials and fallen trees you may find in your outdoor space after a catastrophe can endanger yourself and your loved ones.

Establish relationships with local storm cleanup and tree removal companies to take care of the job. These businesses are up to the task, for they have heavy machinery with attachments, like buckets that and quickly remove roadblocks to access ways.

8. Create Buffer Areas

Do not mow the land adjacent to any nearby body of water or marshland. The unkempt areas can filter out pollutants — — from stormwater runoff from your property, keeping accessible water sources clean and safe.

Letting these buffer zones grow long requires no effort, but the result can be unsightly. Alternatively, plant evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennial flowers to keep your yard as aesthetically pleasing as it is functional.

9. Cover Problem Areas

Hide dark patches in your yard with mulch, groundcovers, or raised gardens. High-traffic areas, compacted soil, and shady sections can stick out like a sore thumb in a green lawn, so explore every avenue to keep them out of sight.

10. Recycle Dead Leaves

Make compost, mulch, or leaf mold out of excess fallen leaves. Giving them a new lease on life can give you a sense of direction when you do spring and fall cleanups.

There is no avoiding demanding property maintenance when living in a house on expansive land. These tips should keep you from doing more work than necessary to keep your home beautiful and safe.

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Home buyers are more than responsive and attracted to open, livable spaces that are both earth-friendly and stylish. Other than energy-efficiency, outdoor living features are another trend that’s changing the landscape of home design. 

Not only do these features optimize the home life of your family, they significantly boost the value of your home as well. So, if you want to turn your property in a home buyer’s dream and future money make, these are the five outdoor features you should consider adding to your home.

Fish Pond

Landscaping your backyard or garden is a crucial thing to do to make your property stand out, especially in today’s market. A great way to make it happen is to install a small water feature like a fish pond. 

This kind of outdoor feature will go a very long way in terms of boosting the marketability of your home. What’s more, homeowners who enjoy fish ponds can improve their mental health, as well. 

Imagine coming home from a tiring, exhausting day at work, and you see your nature-inspired outdoor space, complete with a koi fish pond. Doesn’t it sound peaceful? Well, it can add more aesthetics to your backyard and more value to your property. Just be sure to do periodical to keep it clean and pure.

Lawn-Care Program

Ensure your landscape or lawn is well, alive and clean. If you are planning to sell your house eventually, keep in mind that a healthy, vibrant lawn may have a positive impact or effect than you’d expect on your other outdoor features. 

You may need to take the necessary steps to cut down weeds and supply enough nutrients to maintain a good-looking lawn. suggest at least six applications of weed-control and lawn fertilizer every year. 

It could cost about 375 dollars for a 2,835 square foot lawn. Although it can be expensive, all your efforts and money can increase the value of your and become a great return on investment. 

Add a Wood Deck

Do you like to spend mornings or evenings in the backyard? If that’s the case, then think about installing or setting up a detached or attached wood deck. This outdoor feature will offer you the perfect space for entertaining, sunbathing, and grilling. Also, take note that wooden decks are a chief selling point.

Outdoor Kitchen

Although an outdoor kitchen is not the number one priority of most home buyers, it’s an outdoor feature that could undoubtedly seal the deal. The NALP and NAR believe that an outdoor kitchen project will cost you about 14,000 dollars. 

But the good news is that you can recoup an estimated 10,000 dollars. It is recommended to keep this project simple to guarantee the best return on investment. As such, sixty square feet of a concrete counter, sink, ice chest, stainless steel drawers, and an inset grill is plenty to make an impact.

Outdoor Fire Pit

Even though curb appeal can be an essential factor in selling a property, not many homeowners doing this landscaping project plan to sell their home right away. Undertaking projects that you will enjoy and love today, and will aid you in maximizing your outdoor area could still be an excellent decision, provided that they won’t empty your bank. 

For instance, NALP claim that building an outdoor fire pit could cost around 6,000 dollars. On the other hand, NAR estimates this project may only recoup 4,000 dollars. Still, that 67 percent return on investment could be good if you’re enjoying and getting lots of use out of a fire pit. 

There are a lot of outdoor features that you can add to your home and would hopefully increase your home’s value. Find what feature fits your lifestyle most and don’t only think about resale value but also what you will enjoy most when spending time outdoors.

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