Should I worry about tree falling and crushing my house?

Question

I don’t know if i’m Over worrying about this but want your opinion on this.

Got this house everything is looking good, meets the 1% rule.

Only thing I don’t like about this house is it got like 5 or 6 trees in the back yard. The trees belong to the neighbors in the back.

The backyard is huge, it got like  8000sq feet of space. The trees are like 60 feet away from the house.

They are not huge trees. The tree look healthy.

What I worry about is having huge storm and the tree falls on the house and might crush the house. I don’t care if the house got crush or not, what I care about is the tenant living inside. If the tree crush the house and hit the tenant too, it would be really bad.

I do not know for a fact, if the tree falls and it would crush the house. It might just be lay on top of the house. Because the tree is 60 feet away from the house, I know for a fact only top part of the tree will hit the house, not the main body of the tree. (If it falls)  Plus, I will put fence around the house, if the tree falls, the fence will loosen the impact if it falls.

I know I am over thinking and those tree are driving me crazy because I keep thinking worst case situation.

I am trying to upload some picture for you to see, so you will have better idea of what i’m Talking about.

Brian Van Pelt · Answer

@Jack Ni1. "The trees belong to the neighbors"2 Go grab a beer and forget about the trees

3. When you start thinking about the trees go to step 1.

Jim K. · Answer

@Jack Ni

I couldn't really believe this was a legitimate question, so I checked your other posts about the right time to wake up and buying a house 367 feet (measured by Google Maps) from the railroad tracks, the 80 lb. dog that chewed up a fence post, your post wondering in general about being sued, your comment about how you want to get a real job selling movie tickets and candy...

Are you really sure real estate is right for you? This just doesn't seem to be the ideal sort of business for someone with your particular set of qualms about it.

Mike S. · Answer

@Jack Ni, I'm no arborist but I share @Brian Van Pelt's sentiments. Based solely on your description and the photos, you might be worrying about this too much. First, as you point out, the trees are your neighbor's--and, thus, their fate is ultimately his or her decision rather than your own. That's not to say you couldn't talk with him or her, but it's worth carefully considering the validity of your concerns before you do.

Second, if only the upper branches would come in contact with your property if the tree(s) fell directly on your home, the damage would not be nearly as catastrophic as if the trees were closer, causing more of each tree's trunk and weight/force to come in contact with your home. That's not to say they can't cause damage, but it's highly unlikely to jeopardize your tenant's life while in the home.

If the trees were clearly diseased or had a dangerous lean, there might be greater cause for concern, but this does not seem to be the issue here.

To put your mind at ease, consider taking a drive through some other neighborhoods near your property. I imagine you'll find many trees far closer to homes and capable of doing far more damage than your neighbor's trees. If anything, your neighbor's trees are helping enhance the value of your property by making the area beautiful, providing shade and protection from the wind, and providing valuable habitat for birds and other animals.

Kenneth Garrett · Answer

@Jack Ni

Unless the tree is damaged and rotted out I would not worry.  There are millions of trees that are within falling distances of houses, cars, commercial buildings and so on.  If it were on my property and the tree is healthy I would enjoy the landscape of the tree.  It is a “what if question”.  There are more important things to worry about.

Good Luck.

Karen O. · Answer

Stop over thinking.

Stop thinking worst case scenario.

Stop inviting bad karma.

You've got a cute property with a nice backyard (that needs a little color on the front). Hopefully you also have an on time rent paying, no drama tenant.

On to the next one.

Theresa Harris · Answer

If the trees are healthy, don't worry about it.  Where I am lots of people have large trees in their yard.  If a tree does fall, which is rare, that is what insurance is for.

John Teachout · Answer

We operate a tree service and quite often have questions of "what if". I usually tell clients that unless the tree has a dangerous lean or is diseased, there is no reason to take it out. During a storm, a tree can fall in any direction and only some of that direction is going to hit your structure. In a tornado, a tree from a 1/4 mile away may get picked up and dropped into the house. Enjoy the trees. If you don't like trees, there are parts of the country and world that don't have them. Trees shouldn't be brushing against your house, or a large tree's roots shouldn't be damaging your foundation. Other than that, they make shade and look nice.

Should I worry about tree falling and crushing my house?

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