Restoring Color to Dead Lawns of Abandoned Homes | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Fresno, CA Tall weeds overrun many landscapes which have been dried up and left for dead. The foreclosure crisis has forced frustrated neighbors to deal with the eyesores themselves. Michael Bankson of Clovis said, "I actually went over there and mowed it a couple of times because they were getting so tall, actually went over there and cleaned it up a little bit."

So Bankson was shocked to come home and see the yard next door suddenly taking on a bright green color. He said, "It looks surprisingly good. They said they were painting the lawn and I was like, okay."

It's as if they were waving a magic wand over the dead yard. Shawn Sahbari, President of Green Canary said, "I would say this is like washing your car before putting it up for sale. You're really dressing up the property."

Green Canary is a San Jose-area company which specialized in coloring driveways and stonework but now has expanded to the valley.

It's found a niche restoring curb appeal to bank-owned foreclosures. Sahbari said, "These homes get bundled and get passed onto property management."

A lush-looking lawn is more likely to attract prospective buyers. Sahbari says the water-based paint includes flower-based pigments. "It is 100-percent chemical free. There are no voc's. There are no toxic components."

The result is a stunning transformation.

Once the housing crisis subsides, Sahbari figures Green Canary will stay busy keeping lawns green as people cut back on water usage because of drought conditions. The company says a typical front lawn can be painted for under-200 dollars and is guaranteed for six months.