A new peer-reviewed national study, released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, shows that in urban areas across three regions of the country owning a home near a national wildlife refuge increases home value and helps support the surrounding community’s tax base.
According to the study, conducted by economic researchers at North Carolina State University, homes located within half a mile of a refuge and within eight miles of an urban center were found to have higher home values of roughly:
• Seven to nine percent in the Southeast;
• Four to five percent in the Northeast; and
• Three to six percent in the California/Nevada region
While this data doesn't specifically include the Midwest, Soutwest, Central Mountains & Northwest, because refuges in these areas tend to be located further from urban centers. However, there are homes near the Balcones NWR that may benefit from this survey during the home selling process.
