What is a Tree Worth to Your Home?

Investing in tree care may seem like a discretionary expense that you really cannot afford.  However, trees have a large economic impact on their owners and the communities in which they live:

• Trees reduce energy costs through shading of roof tops
• Trees add to to the market value of a property
• Trees add to our aesthetic enjoyment of our world which contributes to our overall mental and physical health

Trees on your property mean real dollars in your pocket over the long term, especially in North Texas where the lack of trees is very noticed in the heat of the summer. Investing in the maintenance of your trees will pay you dividends over the years as the trees bring you enjoyment, shade, beauty while you live under them and more money when you go to sell your property.

A recent report published by the US Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station provides some insight into the relation of trees to the value of a residential home or commercial property. The report is titled, “Calculating the Green in Green: What Is an Urban Tree Worth?” Here are a couple of the key findings of the report:

• The presence of street trees increased the sale prices of houses in east Portland neighborhoods by an average of $8,870 and reduced time on the market by an average of 1.7 days.
• A tree in front of a house increased the house’s sale price by an average of $7,130. The tree’s benefits spilled over to houses within a 100-foot radius, increasing their combined value by $12,828.

This data confirms the results of a 1989 study in Austin, Texas published in the Journal of Arboriculture where the authors found that trees around residential homes added 13%-19% to the homes market value.

So, when you think of the trees in your yard, remember that they need regular maintenance so that they can give you back all that you ask of them.  And they do give us a lot, both in economic and aesthetic terms.