WHEN TREES FIGHT BACK

Recent reports of trees being cut along Quirino Avenue have been making headlines these past few weeks. In one viral Facebook video, someone even pointed out that the tree appeared to be “bleeding.” Poor trees.

But as beautiful as trees are, there’s also another side to them that property owners eventually encounter.

Here are 3 real estate problems involving trees that we've personally come across...

1. Surprise! There's a tree!

It was in a newly developed village, and the owner only discovered the issue upon turnover: a massive tree sitting almost exactly at the center of the property.

As a new broker then, it never occurred to me that this could become a serious issue. You can’t simply decide to cut a mature tree down. Depending on the species, permits may be required — often involving the DENR and the LGU. Even relocating the tree isn’t simple. “Balling” and transporting a large tree can become extremely expensive (>Php500K), especially if the destination is far.

2. The falling wall.

There was another case where a newly renovated gate kept getting misaligned. The owner had it repaired. A few months later, it shifted again.

Before the renovation, the architect had already recommended replacing the old perimeter wall, which dated back to the 1960s. But as the investigation continued, they realized the real culprit was the tree beside the wall. Over time, the roots had slowly pushed against the structure, causing the wall to lean and the gate to shift repeatedly.

3. Uprooted the flooring.

Then there was a beautifully maintained house in a posh subdivision that was being rented out. Everything looked great at first glance. But once you stepped inside, parts of the floor tiles had lifted and buckled upward.

The culprit? A beautiful balete tree at the front of the house.

Its roots had spread underneath portions of the property and eventually pushed upward against the flooring. Repairing the damage would likely be complicated, potentially requiring portions of the walls and flooring to be demolished and rebuilt.

Don't get me wrong, I love trees. But sometimes, they also remind you that nature doesn’t really care about your renovation budget.