Good landscaping is great to increase the value of a home. When trees are a part of the landscaping of a home, the value of that house can go up by about 20%. At least 83% of all realtors say that having mature trees in a yard can have an impact that is “strong” or “moderate” on the ability to sell the home when it has been valued at or under $150,000. For homes that are worth more than $250,000, nearly 98% of realtors say the mature trees make the property easier to sell. When homeowners talk to their landscape services company, there are some very real ways that adding in trees help everyone.
- Trees add oxygen. Just one tree can put out enough oxygen to sustain a family of four for a full year. It has been estimated that for every 20 million trees that are planted, about 260 million tons of oxygen are added to the atmosphere. That is a good thing for everyone. You may not have the space for 20 million trees but you can add to the world the oxygen you use by having your landscape services company plant a few trees as part of your landscaping project.
- Trees remove carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is a key ingredient in global warming. During the day, trees take in carbon dioxide and put out oxygen. One tree is able to take in up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide each year. By the time a tree reaches the age of 40 years old, it can take in and sequester as much as one tone of the greenhouse gas. It has been estimated that for every acre of trees that is planted, 6 tons of carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere every year. You can reduce your and your family’s carbon footprint by having your landscapers add some trees to your lawn or garden. This is another important thing you can do for the environment.
- Trees can cut your energy bills. Most homeowners are interested in lowering the bills to heat and cool their homes. Trees can be a big part of that effort. Some estimate that if you place them properly, your new trees can shave up to 50% from the cost of air conditioning the home. They can also cut between 30 and 50% of your heating bills. That is always a good thing.
- Trees create more relaxing environments. You want your home to be a relaxing place. Having your landscape services company put in trees can add a lot in this area to your home. Looking at trees can cause an almost immediate reduction in stress, according to new laboratory research. Researchers found that when people look at trees, they experience a reduction in blood pressure, muscle tension and stress within five minutes. That means that having those trees in your yard can help you recover from a hard day at work.
- Trees are great homes for animals. If you need more convincing that trees are great for the environment or that they have a real role to play in most ecosystems, look to the animals in your area. Many species of bird and other animals find great homes in trees. They are helpful in protecting endangered species and they are fun to watch.
Mature trees add a lot to a home. It has been estimated that having them in your yard can increase the value of your home by about 10%. The individual trees are very valuable. A mature tree can be worth anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000. That makes the return on investment very high for trees that your landscape service company puts on your property.
While this is not something that will happen with the trees your landscape services company puts in your yard, for some areas, the local trees are tourist attractions. Every year people flock to the northeast to look a the colors change. Every spring, Washington, DC has a festival to celebrate the cherry blossoms that line the tidal basin. Macon, Georgia receives 600,000 people every year who go there to see the nearly 240,000 cherry trees when they bloom. No matter how you slice it, trees in our yards and around the country add a lot of value to our lives.