Business: How trees add value to residence Business: How trees add value to residence (November 23, 2005)

Trees add value to a home in many ways, says Brent Swan, district manager for a tree-care business in Menlo Park.

"We've seen homes on the Peninsula increase in value by 6 percent or more after planting a variety of trees and professionally landscaping the grounds," says Mr. Swan, director of plant health care for The Care of Trees, located at 116 Independence Drive in Menlo Park.

One mature tree can have an appraised value of between $1,000 and $10,000, according to the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers.

Landscaping can add 15 to 20 percent to a home's value, says the American Landscape Contractors Association.

Besides dollar value, trees have a number of other benefits, says Mr. Swan. They can reduce temperatures by as much as 9 degrees, and they can mask unwanted noise from traffic and construction.

"By shading windows and walls of a home, trees can reduce energy costs," he says.

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