How to Tell If the Trees in Your Yard Are Worth Anything
If you have a home with trees on the property , you probably don’t think much about them unless they require maintenance—at which point you think of them as an expense . Of course, these trees have value because of their natural beauty and shade (or perhaps the fruit they produce), but few people think of the trees in their yards in terms of their monetary value.
But you should because the trees on your property do have value, and that value is often quite significant. First of all, well-maintained trees in good condition increase the value of the property as a whole – up to 15% . But some types of trees can be worth a lot of money if allowed to grow to enormous size in your yard—for example, a nondescript elm with a 20-inch trunk can cost up to $30,000 . And some trees were valued at more than six figures. Some trees are so valuable that poachers actually trespass on people’s property to steal them .
If you’re currently looking out your window at the trees in your yard and wondering if you’re sitting on some kind of timber gold mine, here’s how to find out the value of the trees on your property.
Online calculators
The easiest way to get an idea of how much your trees might be worth is to use an online calculator like this one , which uses the USDA Forest Service’s i-Tree software , or the slightly simpler calculators found here . These calculators rely on you entering accurate information, so you may have to determine your wood species and do some measurements and observations to get a truly accurate estimate.
Importantly, these tools provide insight into the value your trees bring to your property by providing shade, purifying the air, sequestering carbon and cooling your home. If the calculator says your tree is worth $15,000, you probably won’t be able to simply sell it for $15,000 or add that amount to the price of your home when you sell. But these tools do offer a starting point for evaluating your tree.
Tree assessment
If you want to get a more accurate value for your tree, you’ll need to hire an arborist to do the valuation, and that’s a real , actual thing that has a lot of science behind it. You can find a consultant arborist on the American Society of Consulting Arborists (ASCA) website .
Tree valuations are primarily used to determine the insurable value in the event that your trees are damaged, destroyed, or improperly removed from your property and you need to file a claim. But you can sell a tree from your yard if it’s valuable enough and if you can find a nursery or other business interested in buying it. And if you have a lot of deciduous trees on your property, you can find companies like Sell Your Trees that will pay you for them, then come and remove them at your own expense (which makes the estimate even more important so you know you’re getting fair value for your trees). If your trees are valuable and mature (meaning they are fully grown and not seedlings like trees you buy at a nursery), you can also sell them on an online marketplace like Re-Tree , which can also give you an idea how much does this particular tree cost?
The most valuable and easily sold trees (according to the Re-Tree catalog) include:
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Japanese maple . These majestic and colorful trees can sell for anywhere from $400 to over $8,000 depending on health, maturity and specific type.
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Blooming dogwood. Pink or white, these beautiful trees can cost up to $4,500.
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Tricolor beech. This ornamental tree changes color with the seasons, making it a great addition to any landscaping project. It can be sold for $8,000.
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Ginkgo. These slow-growing trees make stunning shade trees and can sell for $5,000 to $6,000 each.
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Black walnut. Black walnut wood is valuable to furniture makers and can sell for up to $2,500 .
Even if the trees in your yard aren’t that unique or rare, you can still sell them for a few hundred dollars if they’re healthy and mature. If you want to monetize your trees, it’s worth evaluating them and seeing what the market will bear.