Trees enhance property values.

A survey of realtors in 10 states, conducted by Arbor National Mortgage, Inc., Uniondale, N.Y., demonstrates that trees play a role in determining property value and that their presence (or absence) can affect a home's desirability to buyers. More than 1,350 real estate professionals in Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia responded.

Participants were asked to rate the impact trees have on property value for homes ranging in price from $60,000 to $300,000. Survey results showed that 56% of the realtors felt that the presence of healthy shade trees contribute to a large extent to a home's "sell-ability"; 60% indicated that they greatly add to the curb appeal, or first impression of a home; and 62% maintained that their presence has a strong impact on a potential buyer's impression of a block neighborhood.

"Interestingly, the trees took increased levels of importance in the higher price ranges," notes Nancy Boles, Arbor senior vice president of marketing. "In response to one survey...