High voltage power line proximity

[Terrel L. Shields]

Not happy that the box was near their home.

Well, take it away and live without electricity then... NIMFY I suppose.

 

[Dublin ohio]

When my in-laws bought a new home not yet built in a new subdivision, they saw the anticipated layout, style, etc.
After it was built, I noticed an electrical box near their front yard. Newer subdivisions have underground lines.
Not happy that the box was near their home. I never said anything about the box to them.

Yes they have underground lines. That electrical box is a pad mounted transformer and typically service more than one home and they will be throughout the subdivision. So what's the problem

 

[Dublin ohio]

My thinking is there has been talk about these power lines causing health issues, whether proven true or not. Were a prospective purchaser to do a simple google search, all kinds of info comes up, many mentioning cancer. Would this not produce a certain stigma?

The electromagnetic field dissipates exponentially with distance. I have never been able to determine any kind of reaction unless the home is very close to the lines. On warm humid days you can walk under those lines and you can hear them crackling and humming and the static electricity can make the hair on your arms stand up. Years ago I had a none contact meter that we used to detect breaks in electrical wires. It was sitting on the passenger seat and when I drove under a high voltage line it started beeping.

 

[sputnam]

I have a subject property which abuts a high voltage power line easement. There is a tree buffer, but the lines are visible. I have searched back two years for sales abutting similar power lines with no results. I used google earth to track these particular lines, pulled up any home in tax records in similar proximity to the lines and came up empty, no recent sales. So, a matched pair analysis is not possible. Now what? Clearly there would be an impact on marketability, but if I cannot prove an adjustment, how should I handle this?

Look older, farther. If you put in the work, you will find something. When you can't find a good current pair, percentages are your friends.

The last one I did, I identified sales along the same power line using public records and then got detailed information about those sales using MLS.

Remember... Appraisers don't prove anything. We support our analyses, conclusions, and opinions.