How Trees Can Impact Your Property Value

Is it worth spending money to take care of trees on your property? Recent studies say “yes,” not only for the many benefits that trees provide while you live in your residence but also for the value of your home. If in the future, you decide to sell your property, you will probably reach a higher selling price if you have mature, healthy trees.

In this article, we go over why maintaining your trees is worthwhile, including:

• How healthy trees increase your property value,
• Ways in which trees improve a home’s curb appeal,
• What kind of return on investment (ROI) you can expect from tree maintenance,
• The types of tree work that can have the most impact on your home’s value, including what you should know to make sure it’s done correctly, and
• The rare instances where trees can decrease your property value – and how to prevent that from happening.

Keep reading to learn more!

How much do healthy trees benefit a property?

Healthy, mature trees that are properly planted not only provide shade, block the wind, and/or add some privacy, they can also improve the value of your home.

Homebuyers tend to prefer homes with trees over homes without. They particularly prefer homes with larger, healthier trees.

In general, a home with trees compared to one without can expect a price increase of about 7%. If the home is in a high-income area, trees impact the home value even more, with an average price increase of 10% to 15%.

How do trees impact curb appeal?

Have you ever heard the saying “first impressions count?” It is just as true for homes as for people. And curb appeal – or the lack of it – is the first thing that can draw a potential homebuyer in and can leave a lasting impression.

While updated kitchens and bathrooms are nice, some suggest the money can be better spent on improving the landscape around a home. That includes ensuring that the existing trees are healthy and well-maintained.

What’s the return on investment (ROI) of tree work?

If you need more numbers to convince you of the importance of a cared-for yard, including your trees, here are some cold, hard facts.

• This Clemson University study found that homeowners get a 100% OR MORE return on the money they put into landscaping.
• Another study looked at the actual sale prices of homes, comparing those with “curb appeal” and those that didn’t have significant trees or landscaping. The results were even more compelling – they found that improved curb appeal can boost a property value by up to 17%!
• How about this quote from Smart Money Magazine? “By spending 5% of the value of your home on the installation of a quality, low-maintenance landscape, you could boost the resale of value by 15%, earning back 150% or more of your landscape investment.”
• Or this one from the Wall Street Journal – “Trees are a great investment in a landscape design, rising in value as soon as they are planted. Trees can add values anywhere from five to twenty percent. Landscape investments are fully recovered, and sometimes doubled, via increasing real estate values.”
• Trees are an easy but cost-effective way to boost your home value. A study conducted by the U.S. Forest Service showed that a tree (such as maple) in your front yard can increase the perceived value of a home by $9,000! And that study was from a few years ago, so no doubt the value of a healthy tree has only gone up.

To quote another well-known saying, “the numbers don’t lie.” And all of the numbers point to the many benefits of planting and maintaining trees in your yard.

TRY THIS – Use the Arbor Day Tree Benefit Calculator to make a simple estimation of the value a tree on your property could provide each year. We bet you’ll be surprised!

Can trees ever decrease a property’s value?

In certain circumstances, trees can have a negative effect on the perceived (or actual) value of a home.

Why?

Because the trees haven’t been well-maintained.

For instance, if a tree is clearly dying or dead, potential homeowners will see it as a catastrophe waiting to happen. Be sure to remove any dangerous trees before they become a larger issue.

While you should never over prune a tree, if your trees and landscape have not been professionally pruned lately, the yard can look overgrown. Crowded or overgrown plants and trees can block potential buyers’ view of the house and make it difficult for the photographer to take photos that show off the home’s finer points on the listing.

Invasive trees or trees not native to our area can have negative impacts on potential buyers as well. Non-native trees are often faced with more issues, suffering from our climate, pests, and diseases. Invasive trees can quickly take over our native trees, and they often have invasive root systems.

If invasive roots are impacting sidewalks, driveways, or foundations, they can lower the value of your house or scare off prospective buyers.

Improperly pruned trees, such as trees that are topped, reflect badly on the home overall. Topped trees grow weak branches that are more likely to break or fall, and most topped trees do not look healthy, safe, or…well, normal.

What types of tree maintenance can improve your home’s value?

There are many tree care services that can increase the value of your home over time. But if we had to pick the most important ones, it would be those related to safety and appearance, including:

• planting new trees,
• removing dead, damaged, or dying trees,
• keeping trees properly pruned for shape, safety, and overall health, and
• regular inspections to catch anything wrong before it damages your trees.

Plant Trees

If you don’t have many trees or if you recently had to remove one or more trees, planting now (preferably in the fall) means that you’ll have a partially grown tree in just a few years! And a tree with promise is better than no tree at all.

If you recently removed a tree, we don’t recommend planting another tree in the same exact spot.

Here are some tips to help you choose the right tree for your property and plant it correctly.

• How to choose the best tree for your Northern Virginia yard 
• Choosing the right location for your new tree
• Tree planting tips for healthy trees

Remove Dead or Dying Trees

Just as beautiful, healthy trees can improve a home’s value, sickly, dying trees can decrease the value. Remove any dead or dying trees as soon as possible, as well as the tree stump.

Here’s what you need to know about tree removal to make sure it’s done safely and properly.

• How to tell when a tree should be cut down
• How much does it cost to remove a tree?
• Why and when you shouldn’t cut down a tree yourself
• All about stump grinding (complete FAQs) 

Schedule Regular Tree Pruning

Some methods of pruning, when done correctly, can keep your trees healthy and vibrant. Contact us today to learn about maintenance pruning.

Keeping your trees well-pruned can make all the difference. Below are some resources to help you learn more.

• 10 questions to ask before trimming overgrown trees
• The best time of year for tree pruning or trimming
• What to do if tree branches are touching powerlines
• All about pruning fruit trees in Northern Virginia

Get a Professional Tree Consultation

Prevent any future issues by scheduling a tree consultation. A tree professional can point out any areas of concern, give you tips on tree selection and planting, and recommend tree work that will improve your property.

What if I don’t plan on selling my home anytime soon?

If you’re settled in the home where you are, that means you have more time to plant, maintain, and enjoy your yard and trees! Consistent home ownership means that you get to know your yard and the trees in it, and can keep up with maintenance while dealing with any issues.

It also gives you the opportunity to be a good neighbor – when a potential buyer is viewing a house, curb appeal includes the homes around it and across the street. By keeping your home and yard healthy, you’re helping your neighbors, which raises the value of the whole area.

In addition, proper tree maintenance can actually save you money over time. When you stay in a location where you have invested money into the care of your trees, you begin to reap more and more those benefits.

What else can I do outdoors to increase my property value?

Buyers love landscaping and healthy yards. While a healthy lawn and flowers are pretty, however, trees are the main draw. Having a landscaped yard doesn’t hurt, though, especially if it incorporates the mature trees and shrubs that are already there.

Keeping the yard, garden, and trees well-maintained and photo-ready not only increases your enjoyment of the property, but it can also pay off down the road when and if you need to sell.

Here are some ideas to help keep your property looking its best.

• How to protect trees and shrubs before winter arrives
• Don’t forget your trees during your springtime yard cleanup
• Using wood chips in your landscape to keep it looking great

Can you help me before my home goes up for sale?

Absolutely! Just give us a call at 571-244-3838 to set up an appointment for an on-site consultation with one of our tree care professionals. We’ll recommend what tree service work should be done to increase the appearance, safety, and value of your home. We can then give you an estimate for the work and schedule it right away so you can list your home ASAP.