Include overhead clearance, distance from your house, driveways and sidewalks. Many of your small ornamental trees like shade, especially the Japanese maples. Weeping willows and Arizona ash, while very attractive when healthy, are only expected to live for 15 or twenty years sometimes even less, whereas, an oak can live for several hundred years. These trees planted near streets or driveways can be a nuisance. If you want shade, a tall narrow tree, such as, Lombardy poplar will not provide much shade.
Some trees can tolerate a lot of water while others can tolerate a lot of heat and drought.
Soggy ground will kill a red oak but make a bald cypress very happy. This will keep the roots cooler and conserve moisture during the summer. Do trim limbs that are going to end up touching your house while they are still small. Do pull up small tree seedlings planted by nature that have started to grow under power lines, in your flower bed or too close to the house or fence while they are still very small. Cottonwoods are very easy to spot and even easier to pull up.