how does it affect value of your house if you go nuts planting plams ?

[trioderob]

so lets say you go nuts and plant palms all around your house

how does that affect the value of your home?

of course there are a number of factors

1) how you place the palms

2) the type of palms

3) where you live

4) do the homes around you have palms?

so this will not be a "black and white" topic

but it is an interesting topic !

now I have been to Darians home and of course what he has created is worth millions -

and the other hand -what about someone with a normal house that just goes nuts planting

tree after tree ?

in some cases the front view of the house is blocked from the street - that cant be a good thing for value.

my plan is to go nuts planting - but in the front of the house only plant on the sides and diagonals (front corners)

in other words frame the house with palms but not block the view of the house from the street which i feel

may drop the value of the house.

here is a link which talks about framing a house with plants - this is important stuff

you dont want to block a main living room window or make the house look much smaller than it really is !

Visit My Website

any comments ?

Edited September 23, 2009 by trioderob

[Kim]

Opinions on this one are going to be all over the place. I will venture to say there is no answer to the question, only an answer for yourself.

Bear in mind, the value of any item is what someone else is willing to pay for it. The value bears no relation to the amount of money, blood, sweat, and tears you've put into it. Further, a potential buyer may be calculating the cost of removing the palms into the offer price. (shudder!)

As to your number of factors, in Southern California you should add:

5) monthly water cost to maintain the garden

6) ease of maintaining the garden

Ideally, your palm garden should be planted to please yourself. If you know in the future you will have to sell your home, some restraint is advised.

I can think of at least two truly outstanding palm gardens around homes currently for sale that have not attracted buyers.

[Nigel]

If you are lucky enough to find somebody who loves your garden then it will help, but almost all will either hate it because lets face it, few people are as nuts as we are, or will want to do their own garden.

When I sold my house it was a BIG problem. Everybody hated the palms, and in the end I sold it cheap and with an agreement to remove them all myself. I did subsequently recoup some money by selling some , but many were destroyed and the ones I left were chainsawed.

Actually it was quite distressing.

[trioderob]

If you are lucky enough to find somebody who loves your garden then it will help, but almost all will either hate it because lets face it, few people are as nuts as we are, or will want to do their own garden.

When I sold my house it was a BIG problem. Everybody hated the palms, and in the end I sold it cheap and with an agreement to remove them all myself. I did subsequently recoup some money by selling some , but many were destroyed and the ones I left were chainsawed.

Actually it was quite distressing.

nigel-

thats why I started this thread -

there is a house near me that is surrounded by palms

all kinds of wonderful palms - large bismarks, parajubs you name it....

one problem - you cant see the house any more

if they want or have to sell it some day it will be a nightmare for them.

I sure the real estate agent will be thinking "how do I clear out this jungle so I can get this place sold ?"

Edited September 23, 2009 by trioderob

[John Case]

As a Real Estate Broker and a Palm Addict, my opinions are jaded, of course, but Kim makes a good point. Not many people have the bug. In today's scoiety, most do not have the time, skills, patience, or interest in maintaining a beautiful garden. Even if the cost is not an issue, all of the others are. For the very well to do, a beautiful garden is a necessity, for those on budgets of time and money, it is an extravagance.

Since I don' t know your home my answer is above. How would you (or your Realtor) present this home? How quickly do you need to sell it? How much of a price hit are you willing to take?

To be honest with you, the bulk of Buyers who see lavish garden in tract homes, looking for a place to live in which they can create or purchase thier view of perfection, will drive right by your home if it looks overgrown (with or without palms).

You might get lucky and the Buyer who is into tropical gardening is also in the market and ready for a head start.

You have left open a number of questions beyond those I have asked already. These are the ones that Buyers often ask and you need to be prepared to answer them honestly.

Why are you moving?

Does it take a lot of time to maintain the garden?

What is your water bill?

What is your electirc bill?

Can you (or, will you) take these palms with you? (This implies that you will put something else in their place)

Escrow takes 30-45 days. Will you maintain the garden during that time, knowing that you will be leaving it? (RE Law in California requires that you must, I do not know in other states, but I would assume it is similar).

Finally, are you plannig to take your prized specimens with you? If so, disclose.

Good luck.

[John Case]

If you are lucky enough to find somebody who loves your garden then it will help, but almost all will either hate it because lets face it, few people are as nuts as we are, or will want to do their own garden.

When I sold my house it was a BIG problem. Everybody hated the palms, and in the end I sold it cheap and with an agreement to remove them all myself. I did subsequently recoup some money by selling some , but many were destroyed and the ones I left were chainsawed.

Actually it was quite distressing.

nigel-

thats why I started this thread -

there is a house near me that is surrounded by palms

all kinds of wonderful palms - large bismarks, parajubs you name it....

one problem - you cant see the house any more

if they want or have to sell it some day it will be a nightmare for them.

I sure the real estate agent will be thinking "how do I clear out this jungle so I can get this place sold ?"

Who knows? With all of the strife in our society today, a hidden house may appeal to a lot of people.

[sonoranfans]

I'd say the value goes down even if you don't plant in front. Most people don't want to deal with the maintenance, consider it a hassle. With a modest number of palms it would probably be a slight edge perhaps. Going nuts, even in the backyard, will be viewed as a negative by non gardeners. But you know, if having them around is healthy for your heart(its known that hobbies and pets are good for the heart), then I would say its wise to have a hobby you love. Its smarter than counting your GW's on your house's value in this age of awful housing values. If you want to invest your money, a house is a lousy idea in this demographic climate with all the housing surpluses and shrinking population demographics. With all the stimulus money/debt accumulation(3.2 trillion extra) every dollar will be worth much less in a few years, and I doubt housing values will go up much. Invest in something that will hold its value against a falling dollar, and that wont be a house. And, enjoy your palms, they will probably lead to better health which can save you some bucks as well!

[cfkingfish]

This is a great topic. I have just under 1/2 an acre here, with the backyard giving a 120 degree view of the neighborhood golf course. I have planted large palms (Borassus, Raphia, Tahina, Corypha) on the edge of the property to take advantage of the drain field and give them some space. I am positive that would not up the resale value. As for the front, I have planted enough so that it is hard to see much of the house other than the garage.

Before 2008, I was looking at purchasing a house in the South Venice area with extra space for palms as it was near the water and cheaper than where I live now. Since I have moved back from Miami, I have started to take over the finances here, as my mom owns the place but does not live here. I was told by an IPS director who had lived at the same house since 1969 that I should start early and never move, so I am taking her advice.

So to make a long story short, I am not worried about the resale value because I count on living here until the end of my days.

[Peter Pacific]

so lets say you go nuts and plant palms all around your house

how does that affect the value of your home?

of course there are a number of factors

1) how you place the palms

2) the type of palms

3) where you live

4) do the homes around you have palms?

so this will not be a "black and white" topic

but it is an interesting topic !

now I have been to Darians home and of course what he has created is worth millions -

and the other hand -what about someone with a normal house that just goes nuts planting

tree after tree ?

in some cases the front view of the house is blocked from the street - that cant be a good thing for value.

my plan is to go nuts planting - but in the front of the house only plant on the sides and diagonals (front corners)

in other words frame the house with palms but not block the view of the house from the street which i feel

may drop the value of the house.

here is a link which talks about framing a house with plants - this is important stuff

you dont want to block a main living room window or make the house look much smaller than it really is !

Visit My Website

any comments ?

trioderob, you gotta do what you gotta do. Like Kim says, this answer will be all over the place. You say your plan is to go crazy planting well, that's what you should do and not worry about resale value, for your own peace of mind. But, if you're worrying about the future sale of your home, keep it under control. Build a greenhouse and enjoy your hobby and growth of your seedlings. I would "go crazy" planting if I knew I was going to stay there for 10 to 20 years. (I have my real estate license and I'm also going crazy planting). Love life, live life...but, poor nigel, I would be pained if someone took a chainsaw to my work of years and years. Peter

[trioderob]

so lets say you go nuts and plant palms all around your house

how does that affect the value of your home?

of course there are a number of factors

1) how you place the palms

2) the type of palms

3) where you live

4) do the homes around you have palms?

so this will not be a "black and white" topic

but it is an interesting topic !

now I have been to Darians home and of course what he has created is worth millions -

and the other hand -what about someone with a normal house that just goes nuts planting

tree after tree ?

in some cases the front view of the house is blocked from the street - that cant be a good thing for value.

my plan is to go nuts planting - but in the front of the house only plant on the sides and diagonals (front corners)

in other words frame the house with palms but not block the view of the house from the street which i feel

may drop the value of the house.

here is a link which talks about framing a house with plants - this is important stuff

you dont want to block a main living room window or make the house look much smaller than it really is !

Visit My Website

any comments ?

trioderob, you gotta do what you gotta do. Like Kim says, this answer will be all over the place. You say your plan is to go crazy planting well, that's what you should do and not worry about resale value, for your own peace of mind. But, if you're worrying about the future sale of your home, keep it under control. Build a greenhouse and enjoy your hobby and growth of your seedlings. I would "go crazy" planting if I knew I was going to stay there for 10 to 20 years. (I have my real estate license and I'm also going crazy planting). Love life, live life...but, poor nigel, I would be pained if someone took a chainsaw to my work of years and years. Peter

I am going to keep it under control.

I should not have used the word "go nuts" on this forum

because I have seen what that means to some of the folks here !

LOL

[Tyrone]

I'm never moving. I couldn't bare to see the whole place bulldozed and set on fire.

Best regards

Tyrone

[Jeff in St Pete]

Before I moved to Costa Rica my house in South Tampa was for sale. My move depended on how quickly I sold the house and I was a little worried that the palms would be a detriment. I didn't have very many planted in the front yard, but I was in the process of turning the backyard into a mini rainforest and it was packed with palms and other tropical plants. The house sold in about two months and the buyer told me that the decision was between my house and another house. He said he chose mine because of all the palms...

[Mark Heath]

I agree Peter, i would be horrified if someone bought my place and took a chainsaw to my babies!!! I am so sorry to hear that Nigel!!!

To the matter at hand,,,, I bought 3.5 acres and built our home behind large oaks in 2001. I intentionally hid my home from the road. I have had 3 appraisals??? not sure how to spell that!! But, the guy never mentioned low price due to palms/hidden

view of the front road ect. IMO, the front view should not be of the people driving by, so plant away my friend!!

In the review, it was allways about age/size of the home that was important, of course the homes that were compared had to be close by. Palms/landscape meant nothing! My brother owns a mortgage company and he has said what many here have said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some may like your palms, but others will not!!

I plan on taking most of them w/ me if things turn any worse, so that way i don't have to worry!!

[DoomsDave]

Real estate markets are very local, so tastes will vary depending on where you are. When I was in Miami in 2007, I saw some real estate ads that emphasized palms -- "Cute Palmy Paradise"; "Bungalow in the Jungle, Oh" etc.

Here in La La land, palms aren't emphasized much, though when I sold my first house in 1989, the people who bought it (they're still there) loved the queen palms that I planted there.

My advice? Plant what you love, and if you have the time, wait until you find a buyer who loves your palms, too, though that's not always possible.

[rozpalm]

I think the simple answer is that no-one is going to pay what the palms are worth when buying your home. What they may be willing to consider is the fact that there is a well designed garden that flows with or is supported by the design of the house. As for landscape in the front where you can't see the house, it all depends on what is the norm for the area. In some South Florida communities that is actually desirable to hide the house. Take a trip through the Grove to Fairchild and you'll see lots of multi-million dollar homes you can't see. In Palm Beach, Manalapan and Jupiter Island very few of the large homes can be seen from the road. In some cases the homes come with their own mini-botanical (like) gardens that actually do add value (rare case).

My plan is exactly what the palm expert advised Christian. I seriously doubt anyone will be willing to pay me what I have invested in my garden no matter how nice it is. I have also kept the front of my house more traditionally landscaped with nice layered hedges and large flowing beds that give it a more formal look (also keeps the HOA out of my business and jungle).

[edric]

All the average individual sees, is something else to mow around, but I would never dream of moving, Ed

[FRITO]

nice topic!

Where I live palms add value in your yard. since they are relatively unccommon and not planted by the city. They are expensive in the nursuries and most people wish they could afford them or dont even know they grow here.

If you have seen my yard you know ive 'gone nuts' I still maintain a clean look and planned for future growth of all the palm so they are not on top of eachother. But it will be a dense planting once mature creating a manicured jungle feel.

I am soon to put my house on the market and hope it will attract buyers, my palms are all realatively immature and the layout is planned (once you look past the container rance everywhere). I planted and gardened for 5 years with peace of mind and the way I wanted , I was mindful of the views from inside the garden and front porch looking out and also planned what the 'curb appeal' looked from the road and the driveway.

Ive had many people driveby, slam into reverse as they saw me working in the yard and stop and ask about certain plants and such, some people even cut through my neighborhood to see "whats going on" in my yard at the particular time.

I have used relatively low maint. palms, cold hardy, and mulched and xeriscaped with large beds to keep watering and costs down. The one thing that may hurt me is the fact the backyard is a 'jungle' with totally mulched and trails- NO GRASS, some people want a big patch of green, I wanted a 'staycation' where I could hang a hammock.

Edited September 24, 2009 by FRITO

[Alicehunter2000]

I agree with Frito. Up here there are very few yards that have embraced a tropical, Mediteranian, or "Palmy" look. All my neighbors have commented favorably (at least to my face). I also have people that come by, stop and look at the yard.....I assume that's good.

I think one thing to consider is the architecture of the house......If it is a crappy plain looking house that looks similar to all the other plain houses around a nice yard blocking it might be an advantage. Also it is so hot in the summer that houses with large shade trees are a plus on electric as well as the shade in the yard being a benefit.

Whoever buys my house, I will volunteer to remove any palms myself and transplant them to my new property.

[Walter John]

Oh yes, I know this situation only too well. I remember thinking at the start of my jungle build that it might be detrimental to house and land value at the end of the day. Let me re-phrase that, not so much detrimental to value, more detrimental to salesworthiness, if you get my drift. My property is in two land lots, meaning a developer for example could quite easily divide and sell, which is what real estate agents have told us is the likely scenario if and when we sell.

I weigh up the adverse effect to property sales against my health, both physical and mental, and the palms win out hands down, no contest. Unlike some of you I actually do plan to move, out of town, in about 5 years. That means that I will of had approx 14 years of palm growing and tropical gardening happiness and experience. The majority of the plants will stay and likely get bulldozed, including some real gems, such as the Foxy Lady and the rare Roystonea violacea etc etc. Heartbraking ? yes and no, you see my life has been and will be filled with so much added joy, the value of which is invaluable. Adding to the balance of this property sales effect, I have met some wonderful people, made some real friends, both here in OZ and abroad on this forum, my life has become richer and the balance is way in my palm nuttiness favour.

I will sell and probably lose money on the deal because of the palms. I can live with that. It's not all about the dollars, is it ? well, is it ?

[Wai`anae Steve]

Great question.

My house is wooden, over 40 years old w/some termite damage. It is single wall construction, tung and grove redwood. It has a brand new kitchen and in 2 weeks a brand new remodeled living room.

It sits on 2 acres of non-level terraced land in an area that gets only about 25 inches of rain a year.

There are now over 100 different palms in the ground with at least 20 more coming each year from Jeff until I run out of room or money.

I'm now 66 and plan to live here til I die which I hope won't be for another 30+ years.

By that time there will be some HUGE palms all over the place and the house about 80 years old if the termites don't eat it.

So I guess whoever buys this place will bulldoze the house down so I figure the house will be worth nuttin', but it will be the land and the palms he buys.

So.....don't know how to answer the question.

Gee....did I make any sence?

[ghar41]

I'd say the value goes down even if you don't plant in front. Most people don't want to deal with the maintenance, consider it a hassle. With a modest number of palms it would probably be a slight edge perhaps. Going nuts, even in the backyard, will be viewed as a negative by non gardeners. But you know, if having them around is healthy for your heart(its known that hobbies and pets are good for the heart), then I would say its wise to have a hobby you love. Its smarter than counting your GW's on your house's value in this age of awful housing values. If you want to invest your money, a house is a lousy idea in this demographic climate with all the housing surpluses and shrinking population demographics. With all the stimulus money/debt accumulation(3.2 trillion extra) every dollar will be worth much less in a few years, and I doubt housing values will go up much. Invest in something that will hold its value against a falling dollar, and that wont be a house. And, enjoy your palms, they will probably lead to better health which can save you some bucks as well!

This is a great topic, with many great responses. Rather than repeat was has been said..I quoted Tom's response because I felt it was especially well written....thanks.

[freddie]

Interesting topic!

I have to agree that it's a tough question to answer because every situation is different and beauty is most definitely in the eye of the beholder. I can add a couple of stories to the mix ....

The first house we ever bought and sold had a beautiful old established garden. We maintained and added to it for several years. When we sold I "assumed" that the new owners would also do the same. The ink had barely dried on the contract and first thing they did was rip the garden out, completely, and turn it into lawn. Our situation wasn't nearly as bad as Nigel's, but I still found it quite distressing. Years later and I still feel sad whenever I drive past the place.

Then, a few years ago we bought an investment property in a small rural town. It was one of the only houses in the district that had large palms planted in both the front and back yard. We rented it for a couple of years, then when the tennants moved out we decided to renovate while it was empty. We were in the middle of installing a new kitchen when there was a knock at the door and a lady asked if we were interested in selling - she explained that just loved the palms and absolutely had to have the place! We didn't even have to finish renovating! She bought the house then and there, happy to complete the work herself. And all because of a few large palms that gave an inland property a "tropical" feel. If only they could all be that easy

My only bit of advice would be that if you are doing the house/yard up with the intention to sell then never overcapitalise on anything. Do enough to make it attractive and presentable but leave yourself a margin for profit and room for a price reduction without taking a loss, and don't plant stuff that will make you cry if the new owners bulldoze it. On the other hand if you're creating a garden for yourself, then by all means, go nuts! and shape it however and in whatever way will give you the most enjoyment over the next "x" amount of years.

Good luck!

[amazondk]

Oh yes, I know this situation only too well. I remember thinking at the start of my jungle build that it might be detrimental to house and land value at the end of the day. Let me re-phrase that, not so much detrimental to value, more detrimental to salesworthiness, if you get my drift. My property is in two land lots, meaning a developer for example could quite easily divide and sell, which is what real estate agents have told us is the likely scenario if and when we sell.

I weigh up the adverse effect to property sales against my health, both physical and mental, and the palms win out hands down, no contest. Unlike some of you I actually do plan to move, out of town, in about 5 years. That means that I will of had approx 14 years of palm growing and tropical gardening happiness and experience. The majority of the plants will stay and likely get bulldozed, including some real gems, such as the Foxy Lady and the rare Roystonea violacea etc etc. Heartbraking ? yes and no, you see my life has been and will be filled with so much added joy, the value of which is invaluable. Adding to the balance of this property sales effect, I have met some wonderful people, made some real friends, both here in OZ and abroad on this forum, my life has become richer and the balance is way in my palm nuttiness favour.

I will sell and probably lose money on the deal because of the palms. I can live with that. It's not all about the dollars, is it ? well, is it ?

Wal,

That is very well said. If your place is simply your spot on the planet and not a fiancial investment then it is not about the bucks as far as I am concerned. If it makes one life better that is most important.

dk

[Kris]

If you are lucky enough to find somebody who loves your garden then it will help, but almost all will either hate it because lets face it, few people are as nuts as we are, or will want to do their own garden.

When I sold my house it was a BIG problem. Everybody hated the palms, and in the end I sold it cheap and with an agreement to remove them all myself. I did subsequently recoup some money by selling some , but many were destroyed and the ones I left were chainsawed.

Actually it was quite distressing.

Dear Nigel

Sorry to hear it !

kris.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Wal, I think you hit the nail on the head. Well said!

[Kathryn]

I planted my yard with future deconstruction in mind. There are several strategically placed palms that will remain and most others will go with me (or to some other new home). My flowerbeds will be reduced in size (the extra edging blocks will go with me) and the dwarf mondo grass "lawn" will be replaced with traditional sod (the mondo grass will also go with me).

The transformed yard should add lots of value for the average home buyer.

[Wai`anae Steve]

I've only owned two lots. I've cut down everything growing on both, or am still in the progress of doing so here, and replanted w/what I like. In both caces I bought the house and lot, not the plants.

[LauraAnu]

This is a very subjective topic as can be seen from the responses here. I am fairly new to palm gardening but live on a caribbean island. Houses here hardly change hands and most persons leave the existing landscaping when they do. I don't think this is a deterrant to most buyers as locally landscaping adds value to properties. I would suspect places in the US where palms are not a regular sight value may be more significantly affected in comparison to where palms are a regular part of the landscaping (like here). As in anything you have different types of buyers. Some are looking for privacy and that tropical feel and would love to have a mature landscape giving this privacy others may want just minimal landscaping. However in most palces where I have seen the landscaping bulldozed is where the exisitng property was demolished or renovated.

Laura

[Al in Kona]

Like LauraAnu says above: "This is a very subjective topic as can be seen from the responses here. As in anything you have different types of buyers. Some are looking for privacy and that tropical feel and would love to have a mature landscape giving this privacy others may want just minimal landscaping."

When we bought our first house, I was looking first of all at the house itself and how it satisfied our lifestyle and what changes we could do to make it even more to our liking. But also very important in our decision was: lot size and landscape potential (not how it was then landscaped) and the fact that it was on a dead-end street.

Curb appeal was not of our concern. All we wanted to do was create a tropical feel garden with privacy from street and neighbors.(both front and back yard). After a few years that is exactly what we created using lots of palms, fruits and other tropical plants. All grass was removed using all the land not used for patio, walkways, water fountain and firepit to plant our 'private' garden. We enjoyed it immensely.

When an early retirement package became available to me we decided to sell, get a bigger property, build our own little dream home and plant to our hearts content! The house sold quickly to buyers who loved the landscaped private feel. A few of the more rare palms were removed and sold prior to selling, however though it barely made a dent in the toltal landscaped look.

In other words, in our case, it was the privacy landscaping and tropical feel that attracted the buyer of the property.

[Peter Pacific]

I've answered to this post once but after rereading everyone's responses I saw something deeper. Yes, we're all bonded by our love of palms, but in everybody's blog, there was this comment on each individual life experience. Not only are we concerned about where we live and how much land we have, but actually what we're doing with our lives. My palm collection gives me inspiration to keep living, keep hunting for that elusive species; it's the salt and pepper of my existence on this planet. I have two acres on the beach and am trying like crazy to create a fabulous palm garden and, one day, it will be. Sure, we're concerned with real estate values but keeping palms adds value to our lives! Peter

[Don]

you can't have to many, the more i have the better i feel.

[Kostas]

Here in Greece,palms are valued a lot by everyone! Nobody cuts down a palm here,they dont even think of it!!!

There are many examples of houses built in yards containing mature palms(either P. canariensis,P. dactylifera,W,filifera or W. robusta) where the owners built their house according to the position of the palms,resulting some times in strange shaped houses so that they dont hurt the palms Even with large palms planted in very tight gardens,next to multiple story buildings,they take special care to not damage them during innovation processes. Some houses have incorporated large P. canariensis at their roofs too to be able to build a larger building and still keep the palm and others have broken overhangs when P. canariensis reached them to not annoy them. As you can see,people here are very palm friendly so i dont think that there are much chances a buyer would cut down a palm garden In fact,i guess he would buy it specifically for it!!! And imagine a garden containing anything else than the palms i mentioned above,something nobody here has seen before...That would make for a good value increase here i think,especially if the house isnt something special by itself!

However,in my case regarding my vacation house at Pyrgos which i am heavily planting and will continue as much as i can to the frontyard too,i dont plan on ever selling it,regardless of where i choose to buy a main house.I will heavily plant my main house too when i buy it but this will always be something special for me as,being planted earlier than any of my other properties, it will always have the oldest palms of mine in it If however i have to move from it for some reason,i would trench and take everything with me,i have the space to put dug up palms so i would take everything,with the exception of my hapaxanthic palms as i wouldnt like to doom them to premature death...I havent planted all my palms move friendly but i would destroy anything needed to retrieve them all safely for them,even if this means wreching the whole outside place...

I hope i wont have to move from it though as it would be a very stressfull experience i dont want to go through...I am all with Christian and what the IPS director told him,set up in a place and live there to the end of my days...Well,in Pyrgos it will be more like ''Have a place and keep it yours to the end'' With my future main property i hope to follow the correct saying but with a much larger property than in Pyrgos...

[palmcurry]

I heard that the landscaping of a home is 10% - 15% of the overall cost. Excuse me if someone said that already.

If a garden has good appeal and design, everyone likes it. If the plants are laid out with a carefull composition so that there is an overall 'feel' or 'theme' it gets positive attention. My vote is that it makes the value go up...if it's done right.

[DoomsDave]

Here in Greece,palms are valued a lot by everyone! Nobody cuts down a palm here,they dont even think of it!!!

There are many examples of houses built in yards containing mature palms(either P. canariensis,P. dactylifera,W,filifera or W. robusta) where the owners built their house according to the position of the palms,resulting some times in strange shaped houses so that they dont hurt the palms Even with large palms planted in very tight gardens,next to multiple story buildings,they take special care to not damage them during innovation processes. Some houses have incorporated large P. canariensis at their roofs too to be able to build a larger building and still keep the palm and others have broken overhangs when P. canariensis reached them to not annoy them. As you can see,people here are very palm friendly so i dont think that there are much chances a buyer would cut down a palm garden In fact,i guess he would buy it specifically for it!!! And imagine a garden containing anything else than the palms i mentioned above,something nobody here has seen before...That would make for a good value increase here i think,especially if the house isnt something special by itself!

However,in my case regarding my vacation house at Pyrgos which i am heavily planting and will continue as much as i can to the frontyard too,i dont plan on ever selling it,regardless of where i choose to buy a main house.I will heavily plant my main house too when i buy it but this will always be something special for me as,being planted earlier than any of my other properties, it will always have the oldest palms of mine in it If however i have to move from it for some reason,i would trench and take everything with me,i have the space to put dug up palms so i would take everything,with the exception of my hapaxanthic palms as i wouldnt like to doom them to premature death...I havent planted all my palms move friendly but i would destroy anything needed to retrieve them all safely for them,even if this means wreching the whole outside place...

I hope i wont have to move from it though as it would be a very stressfull experience i dont want to go through...I am all with Christian and what the IPS director told him,set up in a place and live there to the end of my days...Well,in Pyrgos it will be more like ''Have a place and keep it yours to the end'' With my future main property i hope to follow the correct saying but with a much larger property than in Pyrgos...

You guys are another PLANET compared to u s . . .

[Moose]

I've answered to this post once but after rereading everyone's responses I saw something deeper. Yes, we're all bonded by our love of palms, but in everybody's blog, there was this comment on each individual life experience. Not only are we concerned about where we live and how much land we have, but actually what we're doing with our lives. My palm collection gives me inspiration to keep living, keep hunting for that elusive species; it's the salt and pepper of my existence on this planet. I have two acres on the beach and am trying like crazy to create a fabulous palm garden and, one day, it will be. Sure, we're concerned with real estate values but keeping palms adds value to our lives! Peter

Very profound Peter, your sumation describes many of us on this forum. My palms are grown for myself. I know that the palms are going to outlast me so I try to inspire my son to become interested. With luck he will maintain them after I am gone and my legacy will survive another generation.

Ron.

[Palmə häl′ik]

I would think beauty is in the eye of the beholder. "I mean, hey, if you guys don't want the palms, Ill dig em up... and bring 'em with" RIGHT?

Are you thinking of your home as resale? or Retirement?

That's the obvious question.

Someone like me, I'm young. This my first home.

I'm bringin' the good stuff with me to the next one; ya know...

If it's for retirement. Then anything goes. You shouldn't worry about the resaleablity factor. If it looks good to you, so be it. Who cares if your going overboard? Who's to say?

That's why they'll be no 'deed restrictions' in my life...

[AJQ]

Did you manage to save the Jubaea and Naini-tal Nigel?

They were both awesome palms.

Regards Andy.

[John Case]

Great question.

My house is wooden, over 40 years old w/some termite damage. It is single wall construction, tung and grove redwood. It has a brand new kitchen and in 2 weeks a brand new remodeled living room.

It sits on 2 acres of non-level terraced land in an area that gets only about 25 inches of rain a year.

There are now over 100 different palms in the ground with at least 20 more coming each year from Jeff until I run out of room or money.

I'm now 66 and plan to live here til I die which I hope won't be for another 30+ years.

By that time there will be some HUGE palms all over the place and the house about 80 years old if the termites don't eat it.

So I guess whoever buys this place will bulldoze the house down so I figure the house will be worth nuttin', but it will be the land and the palms he buys.

So.....don't know how to answer the question.

Steve,

Kill the termites....

Gee....did I make any sence?

[Alicehunter2000]

Maybe someone should ask the question.....does 1 huge oak tree that covers most of the yard (i.e a heritage oak) increase the value of a yard? Why would having several palms providing similar amounts of shade ect. be different. Not as much leaf litter, less root problems, higher wind resistance etc. would, in my opinion, make the palmy yard more valuable....

Why would any yard that has a large amount of dicots be any more valuable than a yard full of monocots?

I personally believe it is not the amount of palms that turn some people off.....it is the number of trees. Some folks just don't like alot of trees preferring grass instead.

[chris78]

When I bought my land in west Phoenix, I had two things I wanted... room to grow plants and cheap water to water them... I bought 2 irrigated acres and my mom bought the two acres next to me.... Right away i started planting my jungle of all types of trees including palms...

Over the years my jungle which covers about an acre of the two has become overgrown, wish is what I wanted..... I wanted privacy from the main road and when I build a house don't want to see the street when I look out my door....

I did not really know what others through of my jungle but I felt they did not care for it much, but I was planning to keep it till the day I die... so I did not care....

Over the years people said things thats changed my mind.... first was a neighbor, who said I should have planted my whole two areas like a jungle and my mom's 2 acres too.... he loved my jungle eventhrough he had few trees in his yard...

Another time a was cutting out some undergrouth and some neighbors dropped by and ask that I was not cutting down my jungle, I said no!!!! and they were so happy with my answer....

Another time I had a fire (forest fire lol) and a whole crowd of people showed up and I heard some of them talking and they were so sad that my jungle was on fire and I could loss some trees.... One guy wanted to buy my land right on the spot... I said NO... But I learned some people more than I through liked my out of control jungle...

A few years ago my mom decided to sell her two acres and the realty lady said it would be hard to sell because of my overgrown jungle next to it... Oh well.... but 1/3 of the people interested in the lot always asks do we get the lot with all the trees!!!! and when the answer was no.. they were not interested in the lot that did not have the trees..

So it all depends on what people want... I planted my jungle in the front acre and left the back acre more open.. because the back had a view of some mts... I have not built a house yet but have a large open area for it to go... even through some people say it would be cool to build the house in the middle of the jungle hahah...

I do plan on keeping my land till I die, its payed off.... After I die I do not want to see it sold to someone that would cut it down.... So I have two things that I guess most people don't include in their wills... The first is dealing with the event if I am murdered and since I am opposed to the death penalty that I did not want the death penalty sort for who ever committed my homicide... and the other part in my will is that my land is sold only to someone who would appriciate the trees and for the most part leave my jungle as it is...and the land is held in trust till that person is found!! and at one time I through that might be hard to do, but over the years I feel now they will not too much trouble finding someone who will love my trees as I did..

Edited October 1, 2009 by chris78