Imagine slicing a building in half, destabilizing the bottom part, then rebuilding the top with vastly inferior materials. Not only does topping create weak new growth, it also severely weakens the remnant tree. Trees normally spend their energy reserves on things like making defensive chemicals to protect themselves from diseases and pests. When they are too energy deficient to do this, the result is a tree which is more vulnerable to decay, disease, and insects. The difference between looking at a naturally formed tree and a topped tree is like the difference between looking at classic architecture and a pile of construction rubble.
Trees generally add to property value, up to about twenty percent.
But a tree that is disfigured from topping can actually decrease property value, and possibly the value of neighboring properties as well. If a short tree is desired, a short species must be planted. However, there is an acceptable practice called crown reduction pruning which can reduce the height of most trees in a way that does not harm them. Crown reduction takes a lot more skill than topping, and can reduce a tree s height by a maximum of about twenty five percent. Of course, the tree will eventually grow back to original height, but it will not be the hulking wretch that topping would produce.