Issues when buying near power lines? (5%, price, property, house hunting)

[potatosoup]

I'm interested in a house that is on a street which for a short period runs parrallell to some power lines. As far as I can tell they are distribution lines, not main transfer lines, so their voltage should be capped at 65k volts. My concerns are twofold, one is that when turning into the street, the power lines are visible as they run behind one side of the block, before veering off somewhat perpendicularly to the block. The house I'm interested in is further down the block and on the other side, and the lines are not visible, at least not with the green on the trees and as far as I can tell would be blocked during winter anyway due to the evergreens.

The lines look like big telephone polls, and are two polls for each break. They aren't that bad, like the kind of lines you'd see that look very industrial, and the area is in the country and it sort of seems quaint. I believe the health issues only arrise if you're near a main transfer line well above 65k volts, and I think that since the lines and polls are behind the houses across the street, it shouldn't affect the view of the house or the immediate surroundings. That said, I know some people could be annoyed when first turning into the street. Should I be concerned on either issue?

Thanks.

[Silverfall]

The kind that look like big telephone poles are all over the place out here. Older neighborhoods don't have underground power so they have those kind of electicity poles. Out here, these don't really impact anything, unless you have one sitting in your yard.

The high voltage power lines crackle when you go near them and are huge and silver out here. Most people don't want to be anywhere near those.

[Cigarboo]

I think you may lose a few buyers on a future resale of this home, but most people aren't so bothered if they don't see them from the home. The EMF thing is controversial. Many people don't think there is ANYTHING to worry about, health wise and would have no problem living close to power lines. Some people just don't like the way theylook. You get a few people that don't want to be close to power lines at all.

For me personally, I think there is usually more EMF in the home to worry about, rather than the ones outside, down the block. However, someone did plant a seed in my head about power lines and now I don't want to be anywhere near power lines. We were recently house hunting and power lines were a big issue for us. We carefully checked for power lines and the potential for future power lines. For me, I had to be at least 1 mile from the big Eiffel tower looking ones, 1/2 mile from the double posts ones and 100-200ft from the little ones that run along and feed to individual homes.
I checked the EMF inside the home as well.

If you don't mind them, I don't think it's too big of a problem. I noticed where we were looking, it was very difficult to find a home that we liked that met our requirement because power lines seemed like they were everywhere. If you're in a bigger urban city, I think people are used to it. If you're looking in the suburbs, people tend to notice it more. Maybe a coincidence, but many of the great priced homes we saw were close to power lines, so it probably was a negative thing for a home.

If you get a great deal on this home, than some of the loss would have already been taken, in case you worry about future resale. If you're in a buyer's market sorta speak, power lines are a bigger issue. Buyers get more picky. But a few years ago, people were feeling lucky to just get into a home, whether it was next to power lines or a dump.

[Autumn31]

[quote=potatosoup;8748505]I'm interested in a house that is on a street which for a short period runs parrallell to some power lines. As far as I can tell they are distribution lines, not main transfer lines, so their voltage should be capped at 65k volts. My concerns are twofold, one is that when turning into the street, the power lines are visible as they run behind one side of the block, before veering off somewhat perpendicularly to the block. The house I'm interested in is further down the block and on the other side, and the lines are not visible, at least not with the green on the trees and as far as I can tell would be blocked during winter anyway due to the evergreens.
The lines look like big telephone polls, and are two polls for each break. They aren't that bad, like the kind of lines you'd see that look very industrial, and the area is in the country and it sort of seems quaint. I believe the health issues only arrise if you're near a main transfer line well above 65k volts, and I think that since the lines and polls are behind the houses across the street, it shouldn't affect the view of the house or the immediate surroundings. That said, I know some people could be annoyed when first turning into the street. Should I be concerned on either issue?

Here in NJ I have been concerned w/ this issue also because I was looking at a home in an area where they may be putting up 195ft towers w/ much stronger EMF. I have heard that if you buy a property and the towers are built behind your home/in your yard your home property value may go down 15%, if it is just built in your neighborhood/visible your home property value may go down 5%. Plus reselling is harder. There are also health risks that are being studied....no one knows for sure how your health is effected. If you live in NJ here is a site that may help....it also has a map of where exactly these towers are being put up and articles/videos on health risks Stop the Lines - Opposition to PSE&G power lines. You can also go on to www.youtube.com, they have video/discussion on this issue.