Selecting a Wooded Lot

Buying a new house is an exciting venture; you dream about staring out the windows in the mornings, enjoying bar-b-cues with the family and the memories you’ll create in the years ahead.

But before you make that decision on which home you want discuss the pros and cons about the location you’ve selected.

Many people love wooded lots; the scenery and serenity of nature as you watch animals play around your home. But consider this — Does anyone in your home have allergies? The trees and grass could pose more of a headache to your allergies leading you down a long path to sore throats, itchy watery eyes and a runny nose, most mornings.

You’ll also find that wooded lots have many tress in close proximity of the home and that can create a problem during bad weather. Trees that are leaning and branches that sway closely towards your home should be removed before any further weight makes them fall. Just to be safe, walk around the property to see if there are any trees you may want to have removed, especially before the winter months hit.

Wooded lots are also prone to unlevel ground and endure standing water in many areas. This leads to hoards of mosquitoes. You could tackle this task or hire a landscaper to easily resolve this problem by leveling the soil with gravel and a new soil bed. Finish with a new seeding of grass and you’ll never know the land was un-leveled.

Additionally while not threatening animals could pose a nuisance. You would normally think of the cuter small animals such as squirrels and raccoons however, take time to think more about a family of deer, snakes, mice and moles.

I guess we fall in love with the thought of owning a home surrounded by the woods without really delving into all the issues that come with this type of environment. That’s not to say you should not buy wooded lots, just consider all the issues that may pop up.

Every obstacle has a solution and if you find your dream home in the woods, you will figure out a way to overcome small problems like animals or unlevel backyards or an allergy.

Keep in mind, today you’ll find that the woods are protected in many areas, meaning you cannot just chop down trees or change the woods as you please. To be certain, call your environmental office to see if the woods in your area are protected. If they are, you’ll need permission before making any changes, even if you own the land.

About the Author: Millie Gil is a licensed Real Estate Broker and Vice President of Bold Real Estate Group. For more information please forward email to communityinfo@comcast.net