In the real estate business everyone talks about curb appeal but, you ask, what the heck is that anyway and what does it have to do with me? Seriously, who cares about what the curb thinks?

Actually, everyone cares about curb appeal -- even you as a property owner to some extent – and especially anyone buying or selling a property. We may think we couldn’t care less about what other people think about our curb appeal, but the truth is how you feel about the look of your property influences how you feel about your home – and your home life.

Many homeowners don’t realize that fall is a critical time for lawns and gardens. Even though the summer bloom is off, bright colors are beginning to fade, and winter is just around the corner, fall is actually an important time to get your property ready for the next growing season.

Here are five helpful fall tasks that will save you time and money by tackling the right tasks at the right time using the right techniques:

You’re a commercial property owner or developer and you’ve just spent several months and a significant amount of money developing a landscape project to set your property and business apart from the competition, beautify the neighborhood, and win the hearts and minds of customers and community residents alike. The only problem is, the public isn’t as thrilled with your plans as you are.

For many businesses located in regions that experience seasonal extremes, such as New England, landscape design for commercial properties can present a particularly vexing challenge. What’s the best way to design and maintain a landscape that can not only provide a vibrant, colorful environment during the summer months but also easily handle the snow loads and bleak conditions of winter that most commercial properties experience?

Commercial landscape design is much more than sticking some plants and mulch in front of a commercial building or storefront. For the smart business owner, a thoughtful, well-planned commercial landscape is a capital investment that yields long-term benefits in terms of community goodwill, positive customer relations, increased brand and business value, and even increased profitability.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has in place a comprehensive set of rules and regulations to protect the environment, most notably wetlands and other water resources that are vital to the public well-being.

The business market can be a tough place to find a competitive edge against similar properties and businesses with similar pricing. If you’re a business or property manager trying to convince upper management of the value of investing more in the building landscape, here are three tips to help plead your case:

If you’re a business owner or manager, maintaining a commercial landscape requires a little more care and attention than a residential landscape because not only should it be beautiful and functional, it should be safe for your employees, customers or clients, and the general public.

Some commercial property owners might believe that the only way to provide added safety for their tenants is to minimize landscaping and eliminate any feature that might pose a danger to building occupants and their customers or guests. But with a little careful consideration and a thoughtfully designed landscaping plan, commercial properties can offer both a beautiful landscape and tenant safety.