No Respect

[jyl]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

BECAUSE...if you merely thin old growth forest, you are removing a kind of built in wind protection. I'm not sure if this holds with all types of trees, but with Douglas fir? Leave 3 or 4 trees surrounding the house while cutting others away, and you will see them ON the house in the first severe wind storm.

I don't think that applies in this case, from the pics these are large trees that were pretty much stand-alone anyway.

[jyl]

Our house is surrounded by large trees - probably planted when the houses were built appx 100 years ago. They do cost some to care for - every decade or so, spend $5,000 on trimming. But they add so much to the neighborhood's appeal and to property values. Why else do realtors' flyers always talk up the "mature trees"? It seems like a poor economic decision for developers to automatically cut down every tree. A big shade tree on the roadside or otherwise away from the house footprint - how much extra would it cost to work around it?

[VroomGrrl]

Well the big oak just bit the dust:

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by ljowdy

The point of my post is simply, "you sold your rights to the property" so why fret or complain.

That's not much of a point, and you're just repeating yourself.

That's pretty cold. Are you always an azzhole, or is today a special occasion?

She knows what she sold. You missed her point.

Good grief.

[911Rob]

Ha, Ha.
I currently live in an area called "Sherwood Forest"
But the developer DID leave some mature trees and it's now one of the most disirable older areas in my town....




Now I'm moving away onto a fully treed 7.5 acres, that one day I'll be knocking down about 95% of the trees




As a seasoned developer of smaller type developments; there is no way you're EVER gonna keep the neighbours happy, so no bother in even trying. People hate developers more than they hate realtors fwiw.

If we could build a development and salvage the trees to the final construction stages economically to the tune that it would appreciate our land values, we would. There are many factors to consider and when building smaller type city lots, these factors usually out weigh the option.

The days of acre sized building lots is over; unless you want to pay big bucks just for the land? My buddy has done a development here with 2.5 acre sized lots and was able to salvage about 99% of the trees, but then again, he's only servicing them to the lot line.

I get your point Vroom, but there's two sides to the fence

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by jyl

I am always puzzled why developers will take wooded land, cut down every last tree and twig, build their houses, and then plant puny little saplings.

I can understand it if they are putting up a dense neighborhood of over-sized houses jammed together with no room for anything but a sapling.

But if they are building normal size houses on normal size lots, why not leave some big healthy trees and build around them? The trees will add value to the finished homes.

Hey, the government thinks we should crush old cars and buy new ones! Why not trees?

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by 911Rob

I get your point Vroom, but there's two sides to the fence

You have a beautiful place there!

I almost regret styling my post the way I did, because the point, really, is just how sad it's made me to see everything come down around me.

Of course, I knew what the plan was, and really, let's be honest: IT WAS MY PLAN. I would not have cleared the profit I did on this place if I had not sold it to somebody who wanted to develop the side lots. And I knew that would involve a good bit of clearing. It would have been nice if the process had been more respectful of the old-growth trees, and hindsight being 20/20, I will be mindful of this experience the next time I sell.

Anyway, I had just not thought through what it would be like to see, hear, feel and smell it happen all around me. I loved those trees. I was unprepared for how deeply it would affect me to see them go like this.

The best thing about this process is that rather than being sad to leave here, now I can't wait to get on to our next home

[mossguy]

Well put!!

Best,
Tom

[wcc]

That's nothin'! My G-ma had 100 acres in South Haven, Mi with Lake view and my parents sold it off. When my G-ma had it, it was apple, cherry & peach tree orchards. It also had some blueberries. Well when they sold it the buyer plowed over all the trees and put in cucumbers. I guess they are more profitable. It was beautiful before and now it's just open fields. Sad, but I guess it's progress. Don't go back it'll just make you depressed.

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by wcc

Don't go back it'll just make you depressed.

Ideally, I would have been well out of here when the chaos ensued. Buying and selling just didn't line up quite perfectly time-wise. We will still have a gap between here and our new place, right now looking like a couple of weeks. Both houses will be done by the time we leave.

Next time I will know to get the hell out and never look back.

The lady who lives down and across the way, the one who's lost the lovely forest view out her front window, came to my door today with a box full of dewberries and blackberries. She told me she'd gone out early to get them before they got dozed. So sweet. And also, twist the knife! But really, how sweet is that?

[mattdavis11]

I know I'll come off sounding like a tree hugger, but I can't stand to play golf on a course that had been dozed prior to completion. Nature outlines the course, work with it. Race track developers do the same thing. Come on, line the track with trees.

[911Rob]

You're a winner Vroomy. Thanks for your post.

Next time partner with the developer and make more cash!!!
We love sellers that carry.........

[georgeinhere]

Originally Posted by 911Rob

You're a winner Vroomy. Thanks for your post.
Next time partner with the developer and make more cash!!!
We love sellers that carry.........

Just make sure that the developer doesn't go under

[911Rob]

Ha, Ha George.

I always say, "show me a developer that doesn't know anything about marketing and I'll show you a developer about to go broke!"

I think the definition of developer is "someone in the process of going broke". Ha!
Tough business, that's fer sure!!

[911Rob]

Sure, then I'll send you pictures of my 13 fully serviced, roads, street lights, sidewalks in unbuilt lots..... Ha, ha. Top that and I'll send you my 50 lot undeveloped site.

Cheers bro!
It'll improve..........

[911Rob]

Yeah, I hear ya George; loud and clear.

Most guys around these parts build 5 or 6 a year fwiw.
I'm in a hold position now too.

Time to think about enjoying the summer instead of working.....
"make hay when the sun shines" as they say; goes both ways.

[VroomGrrl]

Originally Posted by 911Rob

You're a winner Vroomy. Thanks for your post.

Next time partner with the developer and make more cash!!!
We love sellers that carry.........

Well I did have that in the back of my mind when I first bought this place. I have noticed that of my well-heeled friends, the ones who've taken it up a notch with personal finances most quickly have been the ones who built cash-generating property holdings. I half-joked that I got this big tract to be the start of my property empire!

Then I got married!

Had my husband's small business thrived, we'd have stayed here longer, and eventually I could have built the side lots out myself (my way!). The student housing rental market around here has been in a protective bubble during even the worst of the past year's economic twists.

But hubby's business rather sucked him dry after 10 years, and he's on to other things, which will work much better from our new base in the "big city." We felt fortunate to get out of this property on the plus side in this climate, and by the same token, we are getting so much more house for the $ buying in the city at this time.

I was able to sleep past daybreak this morning - the construction sites to either side of me are blissfully quiet today. We're getting used to "the look" of the place, and staying super busy packing up to get on out. I think the 911 is going to her temporary home this weekend. SNIFF! Need to tuck her away for awhile until we are in the new place.

[Zeke]

I'll weigh in as a tree hugger. What's more, if the mature trees were not in the way of construction and leach lines (if that was the case), I would think the property would sell for slightly more given a mature
tree or 2.