Houses that have a many mature trees in the yard are a double edge sword in real estate. On one hand, they often increase the value of a property, because mature trees are desirable for many reasons that we’ll discuss later. On the other hand, trees can present a potential liability.
The most common methods to determine the list price of a house are location, square footage, size of property, and condition. A Realtor does not really consider the trees in the yard as a way of pricing the property, unless there are extreme circumstances. More often, trees offer that intangible curb appeal. A house with nice mature trees will likely sell faster, and has a better possibility of getting multiple offers than an “everything else equal” house with few to none mature trees.
When Trees Should be Removed Prior to Listing a House for Sale
Trees can be a potential liability. If the buyer can look past the initial beauty of the trees, they can start to deduce which trees shouldn’t be on the property. Some concerns with trees can be:
- Branches hanging over the house. Any branch that hangs over the house has the potential of breaking and falling on the house. Small branches can be managed, but a large branch can cause serious damage to the roof. If the tree has any disease, the branches look weak, or the excessively large, there is a larger risk. Even healthy trees can lose branches.
- Root system near foundation. Tree roots can cause damage to a foundation. As the roots grow, they can push against the foundation adding unnecessary pressure. Roots can also grow under foundations, slabs, or driveways causing them to lift and crack. A damaged foundation is going to cost significantly more to repair than the value of the tree.
- Risk of falling trees on house. Trees don’t live forever, and strong storms can take down even the healthiest trees. A tree that falls away from the house is an inconvenience, relatively, to clean up. However, a tree that falls on the house will cause significant damage. This damage will be expensive, require the homeowner to deal with their insurance companies and have increase in insurance premiums, and disrupt the homeowner’s life as they get the damage to their house repaired. This can happen with pine trees that have quick growth and aren’t very strong, a tree that has disease even if the disease isn’t visible, or trees that are excessively tall and have more pressure put on its root system during a storm.
An experienced Realtor can advise their clients about these risks. When representing the seller, a real estate agent may recommend their client get those trees that cause a risk to get removed. We spoke with Cliff Barnes who has expertise in tree removal in Worcester, MA, and he said they often cut down tall, mature trees that are close to houses as a preventative measure. He said that the cost to take down a tree is much less than the cost to remove a tree that has fallen on house. Cliff also noted that in Central Massachusetts, that many homeowners are attached to their trees, but find that they don’t really don’t miss them once they are cut down.
Reasons Mature Trees are Desirable
Don’t let all that talk about removing trees scare you. Mature trees are desirable to home buyers when looking for a home. As noted before, trees can significantly improve the curb appeal of a house for sale.
- Beauty of Mature Trees. Trees offer natural beauty and a calming feeling to a property. Many studies show that being surrounded by nature reduces stress. It’s nice to see the annual cycle of a tree from budding, being in full bloom, then seeing the leaf color change in the Fall.
- Mature Trees Take Time. Only time can put a mature tree on a property. Many trees take 20, 30, or even 50 years to get that mature look and feel. That is a generation, and many homeowners don’t want to wait that long to have their trees mature. Yes, it is nice to plant a tree and have it grow with you. But there is a balance of new trees and mature trees that really makes a yard more comfortable.
- Shade. Since mature trees are generally taller trees, they offer great shade. Nature has a way of helping us out – we want shade in the summer when it’s hot, and that’s when tree are in full bloom offering the best shade. When it’s cold in the winter, we want more sun and less shade, and the sun is able to reach us through the leafless branches. The cooling effect of trees in the summer is significant for comfort and for energy bills. They also provide great shade for an outdoor patio or play area.
- They are Fun! Do you have kids who want a tire swing hung from a branch, or a tree house, or even a good tree for climbing? These can only be achieved with a mature tree. And home buyers know that. A newly planted tree is not strong enough or large enough to do those “fun” things with.
Going back to our Worcester tree expert, Cliff said they really discuss the pros and cons of tree removal with a homeowner before taking down a tree. A tree can’t easily be replaced, so he wants to make sure they are getting the tree service they need. Often times, a tree just needs to be trimmed and pruned to ensure long term strength and extend it’s life.
A home buyer and home seller should really discuss the trees on the property before making any major decisions. Trees can have a major impact on the beauty, comfort, and risks of homeownership.