How about just waiting for a new owner to purchase the property and discuss this with them..? If you have so much cash on hand why not just say to the new owner, I'll pay you $xx to cut the bloody thing down and explain how it would save the both of you time and money in garden maintenance.. or even offer the old owner cash and foot the removal costs before he sells it to another tree lover.
If there are large branches that could pose a hazard you could seek council assistance in getting the tree 'trimmed' to a safe size, reducing follage...
