Shandon Scalp & Home Values. Hmm…

Given all the “tree flap” going on in Shandon right now, there are dozens of questions popping up about a plethora of issues. “Can they bury the power lines?” “How can we stop them?” “Why does an out of state company have the contract to cut trees in Columbia, SC???”

One Facebook user (who happens to be a friend and client of mine) posed this question: “Does anyone know if there is a way to estimate any loss in property values – either for the neighborhood overall or for individual streets or properties? We’re on Woodrow and I think anyone can agree that we got it worse than most streets. I feel sure any buyer would choose a comparable house located on another street in the neighborhood based on what happened yesterday.” GREAT QUESTION!!

My late night quick answer to her post: “Neighbor!! I think it’s great that you’re so active on this page!! As far as property values go, you’re good to go! I see what you’re getting at, to be sure. That said, your property value shouldn’t diminish (or rise) b/c of the pruning… an appraiser isn’t going to give a credit or a debit to a tree trimming. As far as procuring a buyer is concerned, it will be an “eye of the beholder” thing (like any other property). Sure, someone may comment, “Well, snap… that house has a funny looking oak”, but that won’t come into play when “comps” are pulled. What I’m getting at is, some folks may care, and some won’t… but it won’t mess with the pure “value” of your house. Keep doing what we talked about, and you should be good. You have a great house, on a popular street, in a top shelf neighborhood! See you in 5 Points!”

Good for this Woodrow St. homeowner for being concerned about the value of her property, and the questionable direct hit an unsolicited, altered landscape may procure. I’ll stick with my answer, but the short of it is… while the buyer pool may diminish ever so slightly (1 folk, maybe, in a world of averages), an appraiser is going to look at cold hard neighborhood comps (adjusted accordingly, if necessary) to get the value.

Just FYI for interested readers, the home she’s typing about is a classic Shandon brick bungalow in the middle of Shandon, about two blocks from Hand Middle School. Primo!… complete with a pruned oak and power… via SCE&G.

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