Real estate values increase near wind farm, Colorado assessor finds

[kristopher]

Real estate values increase near wind farm, Colorado assessor finds
By Peter Maloney | June 27, 2016

Dive Brief:
- New data out of Colorado claims the real estate values in areas close to a large wind farm have risen, Fox 21 News reports.

- The data, from El Paso, Colorado County Assessor Steve Schleiker, tracked 931 single family residential sales with an assessed value of $173.8 million that sold for an aggregate $239.1 million.

- El Paso County is home to NextEra Energy’s 249 MW Golden West wind farm that began operation in October 2015 and earlier this year was the target of complaints from nearby residents concerned that the turbines were making them sick.

Dive Insight:
Concerns about wind power are often focused on the intermittent nature of the electricity they produce, but some critics say that wind farms can cause health problems that can prompt people to sell their houses and move, thus lowering property values. The phenomena has engendered a several reports.

The latest data in that debate comes from El Paso County, Colorado, where County Assessor Steve Schleiker has studied the results of recent home sales....

http://www.utilitydive.com/news/real-estate-values-increase-near-wind-farm-colorado-assessor-finds/421628/

[Travis_0004]

1. Does Causition equal correlation?

How much did the values increase in other areas? Did areas next to the wind farm increase at a faster rate or slower rate?

Also, at least where I am, virtually every house sells above the assessed value. Unless you bought a house in turned it into a meth lab, you will sell if for above assessed values. They just don't increase as fast as actual prices. I could hold an auction outside my front door and sell my house sight unseen above the assessed value price.