Are you thinking about purchasing a home that has a tree or two on it? Do one or more of the trees look like they need to be taken down for various safety reasons? There are many reasons why a person might decide to sell their home. One of the biggest is because they can no longer afford the upkeep to allow everything to continue running properly. This not only includes the home itself but trees and other landscaping. Before agreeing to purchase a home that has a visibly decrepit tree on the land, there are some things you should do first. These include the following:
Call a tree service
In an effort to get you to buy the property, the current owner might say things about how it's just a little tree and that they could take it down themselves. While this may seem reasonable, it's a good idea to contact one or more local tree removal services for a quote. Depending on where you live, some tree species may be protected by law and require special permits to remove. A tree may be too close to the home or to power lines to remove without expensive special equipment. Before you agree to anything, find out as much as possible.
Compare estimates
Different tree removal services are going to quote you different prices. If one has a higher price because they need to use a mechanical lift of some kind while the others don't include that item, find out why. Some services will include the cost of hauling away the wood, others won't. If you don't want to deal with using the tree for firewood or trying to give the wood away to people, make sure you know how much it'll cost to get rid of the tree.
Ask for a price reduction
If the tree absolutely must come down, make your offer with the assumption that you're going to have to pay for the cost of the tree removal services yourself. Reduce your offer by 1.5-2 times what the average quote is. For instance, if the average quote is $500, subtract $750 to $1000 from what you'd otherwise be willing to pay. This will help pay for both your time and help to cover any unexpected expenses related to the removal. Conversely, you could keep your offer the same but require the homeowner to have the tree removed first before you'll actually close on the home.
Share