MA - will removing a lot of trees increase our home value

Homebuyer Forum
1

My wife and I own a home in southern Worcester county in the border of Rhode Island. A few years ago we had a terrible Gypsy moth invasion and now we have about 100 dead AF trees that need to come down realistically.

Will doing that work realistically increase the value in a few years when we look to sell? It’s about 1.5 acres of woods and fairly rural. But some of the trees are 100% dead.

We have no idea on cost to remove them vs buying a mini excavator and just cutting them, taking to the compost area etc.

2

It will ease a sale. A cardinal principle of selling is you do not get 100% of any new value put into a property. For this item, perhaps 30% at best. Fix the trees that could be dangerous. Doing this sooner allows you to landscape, and get some grass growing.

3

I would rather buy a house without ‘100 dead AF trees’ that I have to deal with, so it will definitely help marketability.

4

You’ll never see me put an offer on a house with dead trees around. Especially one that has enough so you call it 100. Not going to happen.

5

I think it depends on a few things: proximity to house, cost to remove, and what you plan to do with that area after.

6

Cutting down 100 trees will cost you more than your house is worth.

7

You’ll have to crunch the numbers. Yes, removing 100% dead trees will absolutely help sell the place. However, how much does it cost to remove those trees vs how much more can you sell it for is not a straightforward question.

8

Sell in the winter when you can’t tell they are dead? It will cost some money to do it.

9

When we sold my grandfather’s house, our realtor suggested removing some of the foliage/shrubbery/trees to help it sell a bit easier. Local realtors will have a better sense of what will help your house sell in your area.

10

If they are in close proximity to the house, it may hinder the sale. Removing them won’t give you more value, but it will make it more desirable if you have more usable space.

11

Go to your county extension office and ask for a forester to come give you advice on the trees. They’ll know if there’s any value in the timber and the local companies to contact.