Tree Very Close To The House

[J Grant]

Yeah cuz an automated product would catch a tree growing next to the house.

There is a difference between playing dumb and not speculating. You are reporting what you know on the effective date. You are not hiding anything from the lender. You are giving them the information YOU OBSERVED to make a decision. They could call for an inspection or let it pass, their call. The roots could cause problems, or they could not. If the soil beneath the slab was properly compacted and drained, the roots wouldn't penetrate...then what? You just wasted everybodys time by speculating.

Going by your logic, I assume you're reporting in every appraisal the potential impact of Hurricane Irma even tho it hasn't hit yet, correct?

The last is ridiculous, since a storm s weather related that would affect many properties, is not the same as a specific condition of subject property.

If you KNOW on effective date that trees growing very close to house can be causing damage, you are not reporting what you know, you are playing dumb and withholding information from your client. They are hiring you only for what you observe, but for your knowledge. And we are supposed to know more than the avg person. That is not speculating, it is informing your client about issues of trees growing so close to house, and letting them know the only way to find out if there are issues is with an inspection.

Why did we waste everybody's time by recommending, or requiring an inspection? If inspection is clean, it was not a waste of time if inspection shows something it was not a waste of time. either result informed the client and let them make an informed decision.

 

[ucbruin]

I'd deal with those requests if the client asked about them.

Are you saying not to recommend an inspection because it might create more work for the appraiser?

Not at all.....
I wouldn't recommend an inspection because I wouldn't know "what is" and "what isn't" a potential adverse situation....
That's why I agreed with you, to provide several photos and provide a comment....
I just wouldn't take it upon myself to recommend an inspection unless I was sure there existed a problem...
And if I recommended an inspection, I'd fight like hell to not provide a cost to cure...
If I knew the cost to cure, why would I need to recommend an inspection?

 

[J Grant]

[

Not at all.....
I wouldn't recommend an inspection because I wouldn't know "what is" and "what isn't" a potential adverse situation....
That's why I agreed with you, to provide several photos and provide a comment....
I just wouldn't take it upon myself to recommend an inspection unless I was sure there existed a problem...
And if I recommended an inspection, I'd fight like hell to not provide a cost to cure...
If I knew the cost to cure, why would I need to recommend an inspection?

The point of commending an inspection because you don't' know what is and is not a potential adverse situation, since the damage may not be visible above surface.

 

[Vermonter]

The last is ridiculous, since a storm s weather related that would affect many properties, is not the same as a specific condition of subject property.

If you KNOW on effective date that trees growing very close to house can be causing damage, you are not reporting what you know, you are playing dumb and withholding information from your client. They are hiring you only for what you observe, but for your knowledge. And we are supposed to know more than the avg person. That is not speculating, it is informing your client about issues of trees growing so close to house, and letting them know the only way to find out if there are issues is with an inspection.

Why did we waste everybody's time by recommending, or requiring an inspection? If inspection is clean, it was not a waste of time if inspection shows something it was not a waste of time. either result informed the client and let them make an informed decision.

If you report the tree and it's proximity to the structure, what information are you withholding? I mean besides your opinionated speculation? Certain ornamental shrubs and plants have invasive roots, do you call for inspection of those as well?

Unless you're a arborist/botanist and know that the specific species of tree has roots that can or cannot undermine a foundation, you report what you know and leave out what you don't.

And back to Irma...are you calling for inspection on every property you inspect to check for hurricane ties? That would be a specific condition of a subject property.

 

[djd09]

At the time of inspection, there were grey clouds on the horizon. They may indicate a tornado or flooding possibilities. The appraisal was made subject to the clouds passing over.

 

[Mark K]

Just out of high school a buddy and I rented a house. A large tree was about 15' away but the branches overhung the house. Squirrels would jump from the tree limbs and scurry across the roof and sneak into the attic via a hole in the soffitt. Aside from the noise of them running around in the attic at night and the sound of my roommate shooting a .22 rifle thru the ceiling trying to hit them (frequent Budweiser fueled rampage), they didn't cause too much trouble but they did make a mess in the attic and chewed some wiring. And I think it follows that they were responsible for the holes in the ceiling.

Thinking back, I should have called for a squirrel inspection for any house I've appraised that has limbs overhanging it and I've been derelict in my duty over the past 27 years by not doing so. Now I won't be able to sleep thinking about all of the lawsuits coming my way.

 

[spittman]

I'm curious to know what kind of tree it was? Can you post pictures?

Most of the time, trees are a plus here in Texas' hot climate, but here are three different tree issues I have had over the years. Don't remember if I ever called for removal, but it was a big enough issue [imo] that I felt further commentary was needed in the report.

One house had a couple of large trees near the exterior with big branches overhanging the roof. I didn't think the proximity was a problem, but I noticed that there were sections of the roof that were completely covered with thick layers of fallen leaves to the point that they were moist and starting to grow moss which is not a good sign.

Another house had a massive, really massive tree in the back yard. Not very close to the house, but if a branch broke off it would do some major damage. Anyways, there was part of the tree that looked like it had maybe been struck by lightning, but I couldn't see it very well so I decided to climb the roof and discovered that a large branch had indeed broken off and had fell onto a section of the roof that I could not see from the ground. There were other branches that were just dangling as well that I did not see before.

The last tree issue was actually one that I accompanied with my brother, and I'm not sure how one would comment on how it affects value or marketability, but this house had a loud eerie noise coming from inside the walls in one of the back bedrooms. Upon further investigation, we figured it was the telephone lines rubbing up against the neighbors tree every time the wind blew. What are you gonna do?

 

[Mike Kennedy]

 

[Mark K]

We'll patiently wait for Mr. Cut n Paste to include photos of the MILLIONS of trees that have caused no damage.

 

[Eli]

All JGrant is saying is reccomend an inspection wnen she don't know. If the root is sprouting in the house where the foundation is cracked, she knows. Lol

It's basically CYA.

I know HUD required one be removed. I think VA has too.