mason314
New Member
I'm hoping someone with tree knowledge can give me advice today.
I have a purchase offer in on a 120-year-old brick 3-story house with a basement foundation that goes about 3 or 4-feet below grade. In our area, the soil is pretty much always clay.
I made my original offer contingent on the removal of a tree growing right next to the foundation of the house. The tree is a large shade tree whose crown extends over half the roof of the house (about 40 ft. tall). The trunk of the tree looks like a maple, elm, etc. (not a sycamore, beech, etc.). The trunk is probably 2-3 feet in diameter and is touching the foundation at the base of the house. The trunk is also leaning about 5 degrees away from the house, toward the neighbor's house.
The owners accepted my offer, but said that they couldn't remove the tree. The edge of the house is on the property line, and the tree belongs to the neighbor. They offered me $500 to have it pruned.
I've done more research today, trying to decide what to do. I read that a tree next to a foundation can cause problems, but removing it can cause more problems (decaying roots, air pockets, etc.).
Otherwise, this is a great property. I'm still trying to decide if this tree is a deal breaker. Any experts out there with experience in a situation like this?
I have a purchase offer in on a 120-year-old brick 3-story house with a basement foundation that goes about 3 or 4-feet below grade. In our area, the soil is pretty much always clay.
I made my original offer contingent on the removal of a tree growing right next to the foundation of the house. The tree is a large shade tree whose crown extends over half the roof of the house (about 40 ft. tall). The trunk of the tree looks like a maple, elm, etc. (not a sycamore, beech, etc.). The trunk is probably 2-3 feet in diameter and is touching the foundation at the base of the house. The trunk is also leaning about 5 degrees away from the house, toward the neighbor's house.
The owners accepted my offer, but said that they couldn't remove the tree. The edge of the house is on the property line, and the tree belongs to the neighbor. They offered me $500 to have it pruned.
I've done more research today, trying to decide what to do. I read that a tree next to a foundation can cause problems, but removing it can cause more problems (decaying roots, air pockets, etc.).
Otherwise, this is a great property. I'm still trying to decide if this tree is a deal breaker. Any experts out there with experience in a situation like this?
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