The imposing trees on your property provide more than beauty — they increase the value of your home. Several recent national surveys show that mature trees in a well-landscaped yard can increase the value of a home by 7 to 19 percent. The good news for gardeners is that most mature, healthy trees will add value to a property. As sociologist Kathleen Wolf points out in an article (opens in a new tab) for Arborist News, “houses with trees are generally preferred to comparable houses without trees, and the trend according to studies is a price increase of around 7%.
Trees can add value to your home, help cool your home and neighborhood, stop cold winds to reduce heating costs, and provide food for wildlife. When you have time on your side, young trees will be your best option, as they will offer you an economical upfront cost that will make the value of your property increase much more as the tree matures. Mackintosh, for example, once sold a house with a very old ginkgo tree that was considered to be one of the oldest ginkgo trees in Maryland. A beautiful, mature tree isn't just one of the best ways to add value to your home: trees add aesthetic value to any backyard or front yard.
Studies show that districts with trees scored positively compared to other districts without trees, despite having the same level of care. New Yorkers looked for trees of unusual size and age, those related to historic monuments and trees of unusual species or locations. The bottom layer should look green if the tree is alive, and it will be brown and dry if the tree has died. Volunteers who learned about the planting of trees through local newspaper articles came on Arbor Day to wrap logs, water, mulch and stake 40 large trees that were planted on major streets.
In the listing description itself, describe the unique and positive aspects of your trees, including a recent health certificate from a tree evaluator, the age of the tree, or any unusual and sought-after tree species that adorns the property. While many residential trees will thrive for 10 to 20 years or much longer, damage from diseases or storms kills trees and makes them unsafe to have near your home. Fruit trees are very valuable, and if cherry, plum or apple trees thrive where you live, you can't go wrong with a mini orchard (or even just one tree). After the first year, many types of trees benefit from additional tree fertilizers, such as a multi-purpose plant food, to supplement nutrients naturally present in the soil.
Much of this method is based on determining the “condition class” of the tree; basically, a healthy, thriving tree will always add more value than one that is sick or, in general, in poor condition.
