There are some popular attractive trees that are very pest prone, often making them of limited value in the landscape. Hot summers also are a problem. Whitespire' is one cultivar of white-barked birch that has shown some resistance. An alternative is the River Birch, known as Betula nigra. This species has attractive features, and the cultivar 'Heritage' has very light colored bark.
Crabapples can be excellent additions to a home landscape.
If disease susceptible, however, some cultivars become very unsightly. Choose cultivars resistant to apple scab and cedar rust, two very common fungus diseases that can cause them to be defoliated by midsummer. There are certainly many trees to choose from for the landscape, and even some of these can be good choices if used properly.