Jack Schoppa here again. I see that I should have introduced myself a little better, but I needed to get on topic. But, I truly thank you for the welcome, I will try to be deserving.
Yes, one of Mr. Tatom's neighbors mentioned that I might want to check this forum out.
After scanning several of the posts it appeared as though there were some misconceptions of exactly what we were talking about, specifically the size and appearance of these things. They are NOT at all like power lines or oil wells. Also, and completely understandably, you guys could have no idea about the aesthetic appeal of this little "pocket" of dirt located just between the D/FW metromess and west Texas. THAT, in and of its self, IS the focal point of the entire issue.
Like you, Mr. Tatom, I too am a "hippocrit". Yes, alternative energy is GREAT, just not here. At least not now anyway. I can't help that. It has got to do with the land, not me. If I lived in Dallas I would think the same thing about this area. But, in my feeble opinion, and in this specific case, the value of the view, and for MILES around I might add, so far outweighs the value the windmill will ever produce that the notion does not even deserve consideration.
To respond to another point brought by another poster, who is also exactly correct, I desparately NEED hard facts to prove my opinion of land devaluation. I am trying. Here is what I have found so far:
1 - The wind energy company will ALWAYS claim there is no devaluation. And they will have some evidence of that.
2 - In some locations there likely is no devaluation.
3 - In some other locations there obviously ARE devaluations, getting one's hands on specific case studies is time consuming and expensive, but I am trying. I make this claim based on the research that I have done thus far, mostly on the internet, and, no, I do not have my hands on specific case studies at this point.
4 - In this specific location there is no data to be had because the windmills are not here yet, so we are working with a hypothetical condition. To compare data from other locations you would have to have similar physical, market and economic characteristics as THIS location, which is quite unique, which compounds the problem. Which is the reason that I use the comparison to a land fill and a power line (except on poles twice as tall as a water tower). Try to imagine a fan the size of a 747 whirling around on a small school bus sitting on top of a pole twice as tall as a water tower. Now try to imagine the scene if there are 180 of those things strung out over about 20 miles. Is there any possible way that could have anything but a negative affect on anyone except possibly the guy who has 10 or 15 of them?
Now, to speak to THAT issue. And, again, based only on 20 years of real estate and appraisal experience and cases I am familiar with that involve other forms of external obsolescence, I would have to argue that the long term devaluation of a property that actually had, say, one windmill on it would be so significant that the income from one wind mill at, say, $10,000 per year would never make up the difference in value lost, unless the property wasn't worth much to begin with. (oops. That is another thing you guys aren't familiar with, property values in this area. I don't really have time to get into all that except to say that they are pretty darn good right now and only getting better. I believe that Mr. Tatom may have commented in an early post that his property value had doubled or tripled in just the past few years. Is that correct? If not, then please accept my humble apology in advance. But I do believe Mr. Tatom would agree that property values are good and getting better.) Thus, the magic question, how many wind mills does it take to offset the, and I will give you this one, "possible" loss in property value? Here is my answer to that question: no number. Now I will attempt to qualify that answer. My feeble opinion, and BASED ON PRIOR YEARS LOCAL MARKET DATA, is that these property values will appreciate at a far faster rate over the next, say, 20 years WITHOUT the wind farm in the area than any number of windmills on a "typical" property could generate in income over the same period of time.
Now if you take that answer out to west Texas, or anywhere else for that matter, where market conditions and land values are completely different, it would likely not apply. But right HERE, in THIS particular location, I think it does. What do you think Mr. Tatom?
Ok. Sorry so long winded again. I will probably not check back into this forum, leave to you "homies". Just wanted to try to get everyone sort of on the same page as you provide advice to Mr. Tatom. If you really want to learn more for yourself I would recommend you take just a moment and check out the article on my website at
WWW.NORTHTEXASPROPERTIES.COM and/or google up "Wind Farms". If you spend about three weeks doing that, you will be able to verify everything I have commented on. The article on my website will save you some time.
Thank you for allowing me into your forum. By the way, I need your expertise now, what can I do about those weeds in my pond? And the turtles, how to get rid of those darn things? Yeah, I got my .22 zeroed in so I can pop them boogers from my front porch, but I ain't always sittin' on my front porch. I been spendin' way too much time researchin' windmills to be popin' turtles.
Anyway, I do appreciate all of your time to read my posts, I hope it helped some, and I wish you all the best.
Private note to Mr. Tatom, stop by and see me some time. Well, actually, any of you can stop by and see me anytime you're in the the big town of Saint Jo, Texas. You'll be glad you came, well, unless we got big windmills all over the place then you will more than likely just drive on through.
Respectfully,
Poor Old Jack Schoppa
