Better Property Values?: Free-Flowing Restored River vs. Dammed

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Click HERE to read the  REPORT ON PROPERTY VALUES  

First, none of us claim to be realtors or apprasiers. We are homeowners and have a 'sense' of what makes a property more expensive, or more expensive to insure. But we poured through some studies and found proven data to show what is possible to the value of house and community --by showing what has happened in towns that are (almost) demographically identical that have removed their dams and restored their rivers.

Here's some hard, real facts you can rely on.


The Cliff Notes:       This study watched home sales across 773 homes. It tracked virtually similar properties, some on dammed rivers, some on free flowing rivers. The third group was homes on a river whose dams were removed.  They tracked the homes for a 7 year period to ensure that 'fads' or 'bubbles' in real estate and the economy didn't temporarily skew things.

The type of stream the homes were on, the towns' population, the distance from a major city are virtually identical  to the city of Niles (thats why this particular study is being used).   

The study concludes:    "There is NO reduction in property values in the short-term,(< 2 years after a dam is removed) and increased property values for the long term, (> 2 years) after a river has its dam removed, achieved a free-flowing status, and has had time to reinforce its new growth.  The study did not place any additional values based on increased vistors to the area/tourism activity, which is certainly another long-term benefit associated with free-flowing rivers. 
(Unless you've been living under a rock on Saturday Mornings, you know that Kayak Clubs, Canoe Associations, and Tourists love visiting free-flowing rivers that offer them longer day-trips.)

Don't believe us? We understand..... please review the data !! 

This particular piece of research, though a team from University of Wisconsin ---was carefully selected. Why Wisconsin?  because the area studied consisted of a large sample size. Plus, its proximity to 2 major cities, avg. home size, stream type modified, and other contributing elements--- and location is almost an identical match to Niles.


Here's  An Article by a Regional Wisconsin Newspaper that summarizes the study and includes comments from resident landowners who were at first very opposed to the change, and what they think now.             Good Stuff.















Thanks!