Landscaping is a valuable part of any property. When working with buyers, it's smart to encourage them to assess the worth of the home's outdoor features. Here are some ways they can do that:

• Take inventory of the plants. See what sorts of annuals are there. Who knows? There might be something rare with a value all its own.
• Appraise the health and size of trees. Full canopies on maturing shade trees, such as oaks, red maples, beeches and hickories, should stand above the property with no dead branches.
• Large trees around a newly constructed house should be scrutinized for signs of bulldozer damage, trenching and other construction activities at their roots.
• Assess shrubs to make sure they're healthy. Replacing large shrubs is expensive.
• Look at the grounds. Orientation to the sun, soil type, land contour, drainage, property lines, lighting, pedestrian circulation, paving and irrigation can all be valuable assets.
• Find the boundaries. A survey can confirm if the property stakes are in place. Finding the lines also tells you if the neighbors respect the property by staying within their boundaries.