Billionaire Charlie Munger Said If You Want To Add Value To A Home, Invest In Lush Landscaping —'Spend Money On Trees And You Get It Back Triple'
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.
If you're a homeowner looking to boost property value, your mind probably jumps to the usual suspects: kitchen upgrades, bathroom overhauls, maybe even a fancy new roof. But according to billionaire Charlie Munger, you might be overlooking the real jackpot—your front yard.
That's right. Landscaping.
"Lush landscaping, that's what sells," Munger once declared, according to Janet Lowe's biography "Damn Right!: Behind the Scenes with Berkshire Hathaway Billionaire Charlie Munger." "You spend money on trees, and you get it back triple. Stinting on landscaping is building malpractice."
Don't Miss:
Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets –
Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —
Triple. Not a bad return, especially coming from the man who stood beside Warren Buffett, one of the top 10 richest people on the planet. If anyone knows how to turn a dollar into three, it's Charlie.
But Munger wasn't just an armchair real estate philosopher. Long before becoming vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, he rolled up his sleeves and jumped into property development.
In the late 1950s, through his law practice, Munger met Otis Booth. By 1961, Booth brought Munger into a probate settlement that soon turned into a business partnership. Together, they developed apartments next to Caltech, each investing $100,000.
The payoff? A cool $500,000 apiece—a 400% profit.
They didn't stop there. They kept building, learning along the way that single-level condos sold like hotcakes and—yes—buyers were wooed by beautiful landscaping. The lush landscaping became the not-so-secret sauce.
Trending: , which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum.
By the time Munger wrapped up his real estate adventures, he'd turned $100,000 into $1.4 million. And that was back when a million bucks could really buy something.
So why does landscaping pack such a punch? Simple. First impressions sell homes. A well-manicured yard signals care, quality, and curb appeal—the trifecta that hooks buyers before they even step inside. Studies back this up, with some showing that great landscaping can boost home value by up to 30%, according to Angie's List.
At the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting last week, Warren Buffett reflected on his longtime partner's passion for property. "Charlie enjoyed real estate transactions, and he actually did a fair number of them in the last five years of his life," Buffett said. "But he was playing a game that was interesting to him."
And while Munger eventually focused more on stocks, he never stopped believing in the power of real estate—and the magic of a well-planted tree.
So, before you tear out that perfectly good countertop or splurge on another bathroom tile trend, take Munger's advice:
Plant some trees. Your property and your wallet will thank you.
Read Next:
Donald Trump Just Announced a $500 Billion AI Infrastructure Deal — Here's How You Can
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary called Missing Ring his biggest mistake — Don't repeat history—
Image: Shutterstock
Send To MSN: 0
This article Billionaire Charlie Munger Said If You Want To Add Value To A Home, Invest In Lush Landscaping —'Spend Money On Trees And You Get It Back Triple' originally appeared on Benzinga.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's How You Can Earn $100 In Passive Income By Investing In Air Products And Chemicals Stock
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, equipment, and related services globally. The 52-week range of Air Products and Chemicals stock price was $243.69 to $341.14. Air Products and Chemicals' dividend yield is 2.57%. It paid $7.16 per share in dividends during the last 12 months. Don't Miss: Invest Where It Hurts — And Help Millions Heal: Maximize saving for your retirement and cut down on taxes: . On May 1, the company announced its Q2 2025 earnings, posting revenues of $2.92 billion, missing the consensus estimate of $2.93 billion, as reported by Benzinga. Adjusted EPS fell 6% year-over-year to $2.69, missing the $2.83 consensus, as lower volumes and higher costs were partly offset by strong pricing. The company expects Q3 adjusted EPS of $2.90 to $3, compared to the consensus of $3.28. For full-year 2025, the adjusted EPS is expected to be between $11.85 and $12.15, lowered from the prior range of $12.70 to $13, and missing the consensus of $12.55. Check out this article by Benzinga for nine analysts' insights on Air Products and Chemicals. Trending: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die." If you want to make $100 per month — $1,200 annually — from Air Products dividends, your investment value needs to be approximately $46,693, which is around 168 shares at $278.70 each. Understanding the dividend yield calculations: When making an estimate, you need two key variables — the desired annual income ($1,200) and the dividend yield (2.57% in this case). So, $1,200 / 0.0257 = $46,693 to generate an income of $100 per month. You can calculate the dividend yield by dividing the annual dividend payments by the current price of the stock. The dividend yield can change over time. This is the outcome of fluctuating stock prices and dividend payments on a rolling instance, assume a stock that pays $2 as an annual dividend is priced at $50. Its dividend yield would be $2/$50 = 4%. If the stock price rises to $60, the dividend yield drops to 3.33% ($2/$60). A drop in stock price to $40 will have an inverse effect and increase the dividend yield to 5% ($2/$40). In summary, income-focused investors may find Air Products stock an attractive option for making a steady income of $100 per month by owning 168 shares of stock. There may be more upside to come as investors benefit from the company's consistent dividend hikes. Air Products and Chemicals has raised its dividend consecutively for the last 43 years. Lower interest rates mean some investments won't yield what they did in months past, but you don't have to lose those gains. Certain private market real estate investments are giving retail investors the opportunity to capitalize on these high-yield opportunities. , which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate. The best part? Unlike other private credit funds, Looking for fractional real estate investment opportunities? The features the latest offerings. Image: Shutterstock This article Here's How You Can Earn $100 In Passive Income By Investing In Air Products And Chemicals Stock originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Billionaire VC Tim Draper Says 'The Dollar Is Going Extinct' Touts Bitcoin As Replacement
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Billionaire investor Tim Draper has reiterated that the dollar will soon become worthless. According to Draper, Bitcoin will replace the dollar. Draper's recent remarks follow a debate over whether Bitcoin is intended to serve as a store of value or a medium of exchange. There is often a fine line between sound money proponents and market doomsayers. Both share concerns over inflation and debt that spur predictions of catastrophic market crashes and a shift away from the dollar as a reserve currency. Among the latest to blur the lines is billionaire investor Tim Draper. Over the past few weeks, Draper has said that the dollar is on the fast lane to becoming worthless, touting Bitcoin as an alternative. He has recently reiterated this message in perhaps its bluntest form yet. 'The dollar is going extinct,' Draper said over the weekend on X. 'People will rush to spend it as it loses value.' Don't Miss: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Grow your IRA or 401(k) with Crypto – . On the other hand, Draper said that people will flock to Bitcoin for safety. 'Retailers will soon prefer Bitcoin,' he said. 'And when they do, that's when people will start spending Bitcoin.' Draper's most recent remarks came in response to a post by Bitcoin-focused financial services firm Swan on the reemerging debate over whether Bitcoin should be viewed as a store of value or a medium of exchange, as influential Bitcoiners Michael Saylor and Jack Dorsey differ on the matter. While Saylor has continued to advocate for people to spend dollars and accumulate Bitcoin, Dorsey argues that the OG cryptocurrency risks irrelevance if it is not used for everyday payments. Both are putting their money where their mouth is. Saylor's MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) is the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with approximately 581,000 BTC in its coffers, and it continues to accumulate nearly every week. Dorsey's Block (NYSE:XYZ) is preparing to roll out support for Bitcoin payments on its Square point-of-sale terminals in the second half of the year. Trending: New to crypto? on Coinbase. Swan shared comments from board member Lyn Alden, who suggested that Bitcoin serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value. However, she noted that the asset's path to becoming a medium of exchange begins with it serving as a store of value. 'Order matters,' she said. 'So I think at scale, and as we've seen, large-scale store value usage comes before large-scale medium exchange usage.' Draper expects the adoption of Bitcoin as a medium of exchange to happen sooner rather than later. He told CoinDesk in May that the digital asset would replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency within a decade. At this point, he predicts that Bitcoin 'will be worth infinity against the dollar.' In the short term, however, he sees Bitcoin hitting the $250,000 price point in 2025. At last look, the asset is trading at $105,000, down 0.51% on the day. Draper has cited declining faith in the dollar, as reflected in the DXY's poor performance this year, as a reason for his increasingly pessimistic views. The DXY's woes come amid global unease over President Donald Trump's trade policies. Read Next: A must-have for all crypto enthusiasts: . Invest Where It Hurts — And Help Millions Heal: Image: Shutterstock This article Billionaire VC Tim Draper Says 'The Dollar Is Going Extinct' Touts Bitcoin As Replacement originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tom Lee Says V-Shaped Rally Among 'Most Hated' Ever As Market Nears All-Time Highs, Warns Of Possible 'Face-Ripper' Surge
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Tom Lee, co-founder and Head of Research at Fundstrat Global Advisors, predicts a substantial market rally despite widespread investor skepticism as the S&P 500, tracked by SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE:SPY), trades within 2% of all-time highs. What Happened: Lee wrote on X that 'This remains one of the 'most hated' V-shaped rallies and yet we are within 2% of all-time highs.' He cited short positioning, bear sentiment, and improving macro conditions as catalysts for a possible 'face-ripper rally.' The S&P 500, closed at 5,970.37 on Tuesday, up 0.58%, while the Nasdaq-100 gained 0.79% to 21,662.58. The benchmark index reached an all-time high of 6,152.87 in February. Trending: Start investing with eToro's CopyTrader — . Speaking on CNBC, Lee emphasized the disconnect between market performance and investor sentiment. 'You'd think that with the S&P doing well this week and a great May investors are bullish. They are not,' Lee said. 'In our calls and zooms with portfolio managers many are still cautious because they see tariff risks ahead.' Lee highlighted technical indicators supporting further upside. 'Given the amount of cash on the sidelines, the fact that short interest is going up and we have a quiet week and markets are rallying, I think the risk is now of a substantial leg up rally from here,' he stated. Why It Matters: Regarding tariff concerns, Lee downplayed their economic impact. He estimates a 10% tariff rate would create roughly a 1% GDP effect, comparing it to oil moving from $40 to $80. 'We wouldn't say $80 oil breaks the economy anymore,' Lee noted. The Fundstrat strategist expects the Federal Reserve to remain dovish through 2026 as housing prices decline and deliver deflationary pressure. Housing represented 75% of inflation increases since 2019, according to Lee's analysis. For sector positioning, Lee favors the Magnificent Seven technology stocks alongside financials, industrials, and small caps for the second half of 2025. He views the MAG 7 as 'the first to peak, the first to bottom' during recent market volatility. Lee's bullish outlook contrasts with mounting concerns from JPMorgan Chase Inc. CEO Jamie Dimon and others about potential bond market instability amid rising federal deficits and elevated long-term Treasury yields. Read Next: Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — Here's How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000. Invest Where It Hurts — And Help Millions Heal: Invest in Cytonics and help disrupt a $390B Big Pharma stronghold. Image Via Shutterstock This article Tom Lee Says V-Shaped Rally Among 'Most Hated' Ever As Market Nears All-Time Highs, Warns Of Possible 'Face-Ripper' Surge originally appeared on
