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Cell Phone Towers & Property Values

The Disamenity Value of Cellular Phone Towers on Home Prices in Savannah, Georgia (The Empirical Economics Letters, Aug. 2019)

“We find that homes close to towers sell for a discount of up to 7.6% and that any noticeable effect disappears at 1500 feet.”

Wireless Towers and Home Values: An Alternative Valuation Approach Using a Spatial Econometric Analysis (Journal of Real Estate Finance & Economics, May 1, 2018) E

“On average, the potential external cost of a wireless tower is approximately $4132 per residential property, which corresponds to a negative price effect of 2.65%. The negative price impact of 9.78% is much more severe for properties within visible range of a tower compared to those not within visible range of a tower. This negative impact vanishes as radii distances exceed 0.72 km.”

The Impact of Cell Phone Towers on House Prices: Evidence from Brisbane, Australia (Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Jan. 1, 2018) E

“As we expected, the results clearly show that cell phone towers negatively affect adjacent property values, although in a relatively modest way. The negative impact decreases with the distance to the tower with by far the largest effect occurring within the first 200 m. Furthermore, the research confirms that all types of towers exert similar impact on property values despite various towers having different visual effects which demonstrate that the residents’ concern is more on health impacts than visual effects.”

Cell Phone Towers: Risks & Health Concerns

Report Says Wireless Radiation May Harm Wildlife (Santa Fe New Mexican, Feb. 7, 2022)

“Many types of wildlife are exposed to EMFs from wireless sources, such as deer, seals, whales, birds, bats, insects, amphibians and reptiles, the report said. Many species have been found more sensitive to EMFs than humans in some ways.”

Is 5G Harmful to People? (Healthline, May 10, 2021)

“Currently, there’s no solid evidence that 5G causes negative health effects in humans or animals. Most researchers have studied EMFs in general and found mixed results.”

Real Estate Q&A: Is There an Obligation to Tell Buyers About Nearby Cell Phone Tower? (RISMedia, Apr. 26, 2021)

“While most states do not require disclosure of neighborhood nuisances, such as cell towers or noisy neighbors, a few states do, and more are likely to in the future.”

Cell Phone Towers (American Cancer Society, Jun. 1, 2020)

“At this time, there’s no strong evidence that exposure to RF waves from cell phone towers causes any noticeable health effects. However, this does not mean that the RF waves from cell phone towers have been proven to be absolutely safe. Most expert organizations agree that more research is needed to help clarify this, especially for any possible long-term effects.”

Cell Phone Tower Aesthetics

Disguised as a 134-Foot Pine Tree, ‘Stealth’ Cell Tower Could Be First of Its Kind in Virginia Beach (The Virginian-Pilot, Oct. 3, 2021)

“A wireless telecommunications tower developer wants to build a 134-foot tall “monopine” tower, designed to resemble a pine tree, in the shopping center’s rear parking lot, behind the Food Lion.”

The Masquerading Cell Towers of the American West (California Sun, Apr. 27, 2021)

“Unlike power and landline companies, cell phone providers cannot resort to eminent domain. Camouflage became a tool to persuade reluctant land owners to allow the use of their property. Over time, the disguises have become more elaborate, with church crosses, water towers, and flagpoles now a part of the cell tower repertoire.”

Inside the Complicated Business of Disguising 5G Equipment (CNN, Mar. 2, 2021)

“Swapping out older street lights for 5G-capable ones to support that growth may sound like relatively minor process, but doing so will serve as a big step for many communities to become smart cities.”

eBooks & Other Resources

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Cell Towers: Wireless Convenience? Or Environmental Hazard? (Markham, ON: Safe Goods/New Century Publishing, 2001) HE 9713 B45

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