Tall trees, climate change, and neighborhood desirability

[Anonymous]

We have family members who live in a relatively desirable area, part of which is that there are many old, very tall and beautiful trees in the neighborhood. With the crazy storms that seem to have become the norm over the last decade or so, seemingly healthy trees falling onto houses has become a standard occurrence - they and five other houses within a 2-block radius have all sustained major (i.e. roof collapse, rebuilding whole parts of a house) damage in recent years. I'm curious how this phenomenon is playing into people's house buying decisions these days.

[Anonymous]

I’m still going to pick an area with mature trees over one without if that’s your question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have family members who live in a relatively desirable area, part of which is that there are many old, very tall and beautiful trees in the neighborhood. With the crazy storms that seem to have become the norm over the last decade or so, seemingly healthy trees falling onto houses has become a standard occurrence - they and five other houses within a 2-block radius have all sustained major (i.e. roof collapse, rebuilding whole parts of a house) damage in recent years. I'm curious how this phenomenon is playing into people's house buying decisions these days.

Where will you be really safe from this? In concrete jungle? Even in DC trees fall down, maybe try NYC? Or you can move further out into the new subdivisions built on cleared farmland, it has its own problems.

Major problem in woodsy areas is loss of power due to exposed electric lines. Even if your house doesn't have trees around it, you still lose power and you still can get hurt driving on the road or get trapped not being able to travel when trees fall down.

You can buy a lot and build a house with concrete and steel, should withstand a couple of trees falling down on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m still going to pick an area with mature trees over one without if that’s your question

Yep. Nobody wants a clear cut wasteland.

Most people prefer neighborhoods with mature trees.

[Anonymous]

We are slowly removing the larger trees, and replanting replacement trees further away from the houses in our mature larger yard.

People who planted these trees, even as late as the 1980s, had no idea what kind of storms we would regularly have now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m still going to pick an area with mature trees over one without if that’s your question

This. We are wired this way. A house on bare land looks exposed and vulnerable. Our brains do not find the look desirable for a reason. Wooded hilly areas still go for premium because of esthetics we cannot overcome.

[Anonymous]

We took down the trees that would have damaged the house if they fell. Many of our neighbors did the same. There’s still plenty of mature trees in the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Well maintained mature trees are amazing for resale value

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are slowly removing the larger trees, and replanting replacement trees further away from the houses in our mature larger yard.

People who planted these trees, even as late as the 1980s, had no idea what kind of storms we would regularly have now.

As if they didn't have these storms back then, you all make it sound like Earth was paradise with perfect weather until climate change slipped into the headlines. There were hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and fires before humans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We took down the trees that would have damaged the house if they fell. Many of our neighbors did the same. There’s still plenty of mature trees in the neighborhood.

You can remove any tree on your property without a permit?

[Anonymous]

I'll still take the mature trees. They provide shade, beauty, absorb runoff, and clean the air. Waking up to the sound of birds is one of life's joys. We have our trees inspected every year and trim as necessary. Beyond that, it's chance. Same as when you drive your car, fly in an airplane, take your family to the ocean, or have a night out in the city. There's always a risk that something could go wrong but we balance it out against the quality of life.

[Anonymous]

When we bought our house years ago we were very aware of the fact that there weren't any trees that could fall onto it, and that there weren't any trees on the property that could die and have to come down at significant expense. I'm not going to say we wouldn't have bought the house otherwise, but it was discussed.

During that storm with the crazy downdrafts or whatever they were a few weeks ago, a house 5 doors down from us was destroyed by a very old tree that was uprooted and crashed right through the house. Scary.

[Anonymous]

Homes built with reinforced steel and concrete around mature trees would be a way to go. Brick homes probably would hold out ok, but vinyl siding wood framed homes aren't what you want to built on a woodsy lot. Woods would still be desirable, but our construction demands may change over time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we bought our house years ago we were very aware of the fact that there weren't any trees that could fall onto it, and that there weren't any trees on the property that could die and have to come down at significant expense. I'm not going to say we wouldn't have bought the house otherwise, but it was discussed.

During that storm with the crazy downdrafts or whatever they were a few weeks ago, a house 5 doors down from us was destroyed by a very old tree that was uprooted and crashed right through the house. Scary.

Was that a brick house or a wood framed one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are slowly removing the larger trees, and replanting replacement trees further away from the houses in our mature larger yard.

People who planted these trees, even as late as the 1980s, had no idea what kind of storms we would regularly have now.

As if they didn't have these storms back then, you all make it sound like Earth was paradise with perfect weather until climate change slipped into the headlines. There were hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, and fires before humans.

Sure, but not as often here. I'm in my 50s and my parents (who were in their 90s before they died) noticed storms were getting worse.

My parents also cut down mature trees when they reached a certain height and replanted, and were the only house in their block not damaged by a hurricane a decade or so ago in another area of the southeast. Dad remembered the awful storms of the 1930s and 1950s, and we are now due for some more.

My dh and I got a decent deal on our house in a neighborhood with lots of mature trees post derecho. Most people younger than we are didn't have the $$$ necessary to maintain all the trees or cut and replant. It takes funds to take care of trees, they are like giant shrubs.

We are planting mature trees, but further from our house and our neighbors houses.

You either learn from history or you don't, that is up to you.