Over 6 million houses were sold in the United States in 2021. The housing market is alive and thriving, but property value is an ever-changing and confusing beast.
One of the things that can seriously affect your property value is yard design, specifically trees on and around your property. If you’ve come to this article, you’re probably wondering whether your tree is boosting your property value, or whether you’re better off enlisting a tree removal service.
Here’s our guide to all things trees and property value.
Trees and Property Value: At a Glance
There is no blanket answer or set formula to determine whether or not a tree will increase your property value or not. There are several factors at play when determining how helpful or detrimental a tree can be to your property value.
Let’s take a look at these factors now.
Do Trees Increase Property Value?
On the whole, the answer would be that healthy, well-kept, mature trees do tend to increase property value as a whole. America absolutely loves its trees, and if you’re going to use trees to boost your curb appeal, then you’ll need to be in touch with an experienced tree removal company that can help keep your tree looking nice and healthy.
Well-maintained trees can help boost your property value by over $7,000. However, it’s not always as simple as that.
When Trees Don’t Increase Property Value
Just having a tree (or several trees) around your property is not a guarantee that the value will increase. If your trees are in poor health, block light, grow in the wrong place, or are outright dead, then the curb appeal of your property is going to plummet.
Dead trees and trees planted in the wrong place are not only unsightly and unappealing, but they can also pose a risk to the property and the people living on them.
If your property carries an increased risk of damage or injury, then it stands to reason that the value of the property is going to decrease and you should get in touch with a tree removal company to come and remove the tree for you.
Which Trees Bring Property Value Down?
As we’ve said, dead or unhealthy trees can definitely contribute to falling property values, but there are also certain types of trees that can harm your property value and make it harder for you to find a buyer.
Trees with invasive and sprawling root systems should be avoided, and if you have them on your property, should be removed. These trees include the American Elm, Willows, and Hybrid Poplars.
It’s not a disaster if you have these trees on your property, but they should be absolutely nowhere near any of your plumbing systems, and should never be located near a swimming pool.
Other types of trees that can be far from ideal are conifers, especially dark ones. They have a way of blocking off natural light and potentially covering up the house itself.
It’s not unheard of for realtors to be unable to take presentable photographs of a house for sale because of a giant tree blocking any view of the property.
Using trees to boost your property value is all about balance. You want the trees to enhance the property, not completely dominate it so that nothing else can be enjoyed.
When to Get Tree Removal
If you’re worried that trees on your property are harming its value, then you should think about hiring some tree removal services. Tree removal companies are experts in their field who can come to your property and assess the tree in question and help you decide whether or not to remove the offending plant.
Generally speaking, there are three main reasons for calling a tree removal company out to your property, let’s take a look at these now.
Dead Trees
Dead trees are unsightly and dangerous. This one is the most important and pressing reason to remove a tree from your property. If you spot a dead tree, don’t delay in organizing to have it removed as soon as possible.
You might think that dead trees still look fairly sturdy and don’t pose much of a risk, but this is far from the truth. If your area was to be hit by a storm, even a mild one, that dead tree is very likely to fall over and cause damage to your property and even injury to those inside or outside at the time.
How to Spot a Dead Tree
Dead trees are usually pretty easy to spot. If you can see any clear signs of decay at the base or trunk of the tree, then it’s likely that the tree is dying if not dead already.
Some deciduous trees can look dead during the winter months, so you can perform a quick scratch test to see how the tree is doing. If the cambium layer of bark is green then the tree is still alive, if it’s dry and brown, then the tree is dead.
If you’re not sure whether your tree is dead or not, don’t worry, just call up your local tree removal company and they’ll be able to check it out for you.
Location
Trees in unsuitable locations should also be removed. If the tree is far too close to the house, garage, or any other permanent structure, then it’s a definite risk that should be removed before selling your property.
As mentioned above also, you should remove trees with sprawling route systems that are close to foundations, plumbing systems, or swimming pools.
Overgrown Trees
Overgrown trees can block natural light, damage sewage pipes, and weaken the foundation of your home. These should also be dealt with if you want to keep property value up.
If the tree is only slightly overgrown, a tree removal expert can come and tidy it up for you so it no longer causes any problems. But if it is seriously overgrown, then you’ll need to look at getting it removed.
Find an Experienced Tree Removal Company Today
If any of the points in this article are ringing a bell for you, then you should consider tree removal for your property as soon as possible. Don’t take the risk with dead or poorly located trees.
Treeline Arborcare would be more than happy to help you with all of your tree removal needs. Contact us today to see how we can help you boost your property value.