NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require the member's nar.realtor login.

Electric and Magnetic Fields Explained

Electric and Magnetic Fields from Power Lines (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Aug. 12, 2022)

“Electric and magnetic fields, also known as electromagnetic fields (EMF), consist of waves of electric and magnetic energy moving together. These energy fields surround us all the time. Scientific studies have not clearly shown whether exposure to EMF increases cancer risk. A few studies have connected EMF and health effects, but they have not been able to be repeated. This means that they are inconclusive. Scientists continue to conduct research on the issue.”

Electromagnetic Fields and Cancer (National Cancer Institute, May 30, 2022)

“Although a study in 1979 pointed to a possible association between living near electric power lines and childhood leukemia (15), more recent studies have had mixed findings (16–24). Most of these studies did not find an association or found one only for those children who lived in homes with very high levels of magnetic fields, which are present in few residences.”

Power Lines and Property Values

Impact of High Voltage Transmission Lines on Property Values (JD Supra, Jul. 29, 2022)

“In this writer’s experience, the key issue is the impact of the HVETL on the balance of the property not required for it. Estimating impact requires an evaluation of the facts and circumstances of each project.  A commercial property owner facing the construction of a new or augmented HVETL over its property should be proactive and retain the experts necessary to gather data and to research the issues.”

Power Lines and Property Value: What You Need to Know (Orchard, Jul. 18, 2022)

Most homebuyers do not find power lines aesthetically pleasing, especially if they are in a location that would otherwise have a pristine ocean, river, or forest view. While this personal preference does tend to lower property values, another major factor in the power line debate concerns health. Concerns over EMFs (Electro Magnetic Frequencies or Electric and Magnetic Fields) have not been proven by the WHO or EPA, and are immeasurable once you are more than 500 feet away.

How Much Do Power Lines Lower Real Estate Value? (SF Gate, Jan. 30, 2021)

“Proximity to power lines may lower a property’s value from 10 to 40 percent, according to Gustan Cho Associates. One example points to a Rhode Island group, the Friends of India Point Park, which has been trying to have the high-voltage power lines in their area moved underground. According to Politifact, the group notes that their property values are lower by 30 percent because of the proximity to these large power lines, and the documentation it uses shows that some studies confirm that number.”

Study: Lots Near Power Lines Lose Nearly Half Their Value (REALTOR® Magazine, Aug. 22, 2018)

"Lots located next to power lines tend to sell for a whopping 45 percent less than similar lots further away from high-voltage transmission lines, according to a new study in the Journal of Real Estate Research. Lots that are non-adjacent to power lines but are located within 1,000 feet of them often sell at a discount of 18 percent, researchers Chris Mothorpe and David Wyman, the authors of the study, found."

Power Lines and Natural Disasters

Burying Just 5% of Power Lines Can Improve Resilience in Hurricane-Prone Regions (The Hill, Aug. 18, 2022)

As “extreme weather events” become more common, the aging infrastructure system of the United States will be put to the test. According to a study conducted by researchers at Princeton University’s Engineering School, “strategically burying just 5 percent of power lines could reduce the number of residents affected by hurricane and heat wave-related outages by half. Specifically, lines near main distribution points would need to be buried. “

Weighing the Costs, Benefits of Burying Power Lines in the SWFL (Gulfshore Business, Aug. 1, 2022)

“Making the undergrounding of all lines a standard practice, the study showed, would result in rate increases of 80% to 125%. “Installing underground is best done as an area is being developed,” Ryan says. “This is less expensive than converting later from overhead to underground.” An individual homeowner or business in an area full of above-ground power lines has little to gain by switching, both LCEC’s Ryan and FPL’s Gaddis said, because those below- and above-ground lines come from the same power source. But if an entire neighborhood of homeowners agrees to pay, it could lessen the length of future power outages.”

PG&E Plans to Bury Over 3,600 Miles of Power Lines Over 5 Years to Reduce Wildfire Risk (Bloomberg, Feb. 10, 2022)

“PG&E Corp. wants to bury about 3,600 miles of power lines over the next five years in areas at high risk of wildfires, part of an ambitious plan to reduce the threat of its equipment starting catastrophic blazes in drought-parched California. The utility giant aims to reduce the cost per mile from $3.75 million today to about $2.5 million in 2026, Chief Executive Officer Patricia Poppe said Thursday, offering new details on a plan to bury 10,000 miles of power lines.”

eBooks & Other Resources

Books, Videos, Research Reports & More

As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.

Death and Disclosure: Legal Strategies for Dealing with Stigmatized Properties (Richfield, OH: October Research Corporation, 2007) HD 1341 R22d

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

Cartographies of Danger: Mapping Hazards in America (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press, 1997) GB 5014 M66

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