@jcboy,
Reminding you and I to talk about walls. You didn't listen to me re your present house, that you need a short wall behind the sidewalk where the hedge is and change in steps and door approach. I could even be wrong, since I haven't been there. I recommended a land arch or well regarded contractor (sorry, not necessarily a friend) to evaluate that, as the drainage on your street there is for ****.
Landscape architects do not routinely do the work, so there is a lack of money incentive for their opinions, mostly.
This may be true for the new place. Consider hiring a landscape architect to give a take on the place, an evaluation, preferably by the hour.
I used to hire structural engineers for stuff - usually that came to an hour or two's time and a report. I think of this in the same way.
Re contractors, the usual thing is talk to three - actually the thing is to refer to three, be it contractors or architects or mds.
I'll even say that re pool builders/sellers.
Please don't be a victim on my time.
See if you can get a land arch consult on an hourly basis.
