Would pylons put you off a house?

[Birdies]

Seen a lovely house but noticed a large electricity pylon about 200 metres behind it. I don't mind how they look, that doesn't bother me at all. But I'm a bit confused about possible health risks. Can't seem to find anything conclusive. There is no noise from it as we've stood right by it to check. Would it put you off?

I was pregnant and had virtually agreed to buy a gorgeous house off plan. Then we walked to where it actually was, saw it was near a pylon and backed out. Was gutting really.

Absolutely this. I don’t know enough about the health implications to make a judgement, but I do know a lot of people don’t like them and it could a house harder to sell on and so I wouldn’t.

I grew up on a housing estate full of them. I could sometimes hear the hum, but mainly on drizzly days I think. Would I buy a house near one? No, I don't think so. I really wish there were studies related to the potential health risks, because I do know a number of people from that housing estate who died of brain tumours or leukaemia. But then it could be a coincidence, who knows?

Yes, it did put us off, they hum and crackle. DH an Electrical engineer, now retired, was adamant we wouldn’t buy a house near one when we were looking at houses. His stance hasn’t changed.
He was reading about some newer smaller pylons being introduced, something about the cables going underground instead of overhead..”Still not buying a house near one”

Yes it would and it did when a surveyor highlighted future resale issues.

The houses near pylons in my area tend to be a bit cheaper.

Blimey just me then! Not bothered about resale value as it's my forever home where I'm going to grow old and yes it was slightly cheaper than others in the area but could be also due that it's the last estate in our town - the houses always sell there and as I've said further down 2 estates are about to go right next to them. Thinking about it I'm probably where I live now only about 300m from them. The house had several offers on it before we bought it. Locally other houses have taken longer to sell/had price reductions for things it looks like such as being close to a children's park (there were plans for a skate park to go next to it)

So they would put me off personally because I don't like how they look and I don't like the noise. They wouldn't put me off for any other reason particularly.

They look scary and make a bad noise, but bear in mind it's exactly the same electricity going through wires in almost every wall, ceiling and floor in your property, including your bedroom, possibly inches from your head. The only difference is the voltage, but the field strength declines very quickly.

Same goes for substations.

So I would only be put off by the looks, and I admit they look awful.

We looked at moving house a few years ago because the developer had built bigger versions of our house, but the new development had pylons very close by. That was the thing that really put us off. At the time there was a lot of talk about health risks, but they were also ugly and made an otherwise beautiful place look a bit industrial.

No, I think pylons are beautiful, I love to see them marching majestically across the land.

We brought our house 31 yeats ago, Not a good photo unfortunately, window doesn't open wide enough to get a reasonable shot.

This is our pylon, we do hear it buzzing when it's drizzling , otherwise we don't notice it.

Yes, and so would a sub-station. I have said no to a house for these reasons.

Absolutely yes! I hate pylons & had nightmares about them as a kid.

We offered on a house many years ago near one but couldn't get the mortgage due to it so had to pull out. Very glad now looking back as we bought a nicer house instead.

No. Bought a house on a small estate in a very desirable area and none of the houses ever had problems selling. It was nearby but no cables over and not in a direct eyeline from any of our windows. The conveyancer arranged a specialist report and we bought it. Many families have been long term owners since the estate was built, the pylon came first. There next pylon further on is very close to a junior school and more houses. The junior school is extremely popular and it’s a fight for places. So as for real dangers and long term health worries, there’d are both adults and children spending years in the environment and will continue for many more years.
Depending on the weather the cables buzz during drizzle but nothing that stops me sleeping.

Forgot to mention…The village park is right next to the school and about 50m from the pylon. It’s well used!

It would put me off tbh, potential health risks and issues with resale, properties near pylons are always going to be cheaper to attract a buyer. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

Yes I wouldn’t buy near a pylon for health, anxiety and resale issues.
You can get little handheld tools that measure electromagnetic radiation - you could get one and see if the house is affected from that distance?
I think studies argue both ways about the effects of electromagnetic radiation - we used to get whooshes of it whenever trains went past so I looked into it while pregnant in our rented flat near multiple train tracks. From memory some of the benefits are that broken bones heal faster in the presence of electromagnetic radiation and some people are more sensitive to its negative effects than others. These might include childhood Leukemia and Alzheimer’s.
So if it’s resale you’re worried about I wouldn’t buy it but if it’s health effects then get one of those measuring gadgets and see how much EMR you will actually be exposed to in the house.

I think they are a health risk. But analogue phones were a health risk and we still used them. Personally I wouldn't buy near one.

My father was an electrical engineer too, and I asked him what he thought of allegations about high-voltage overhead lines. I expected him to laugh but he said he wouldn't like to live under or near them.

Not at all. I’ve lived with worse!

My last house was near them, never bothered us at all

i guess this is why the house ticks all the boxes for you, because it’s a bit cheaper because of the pylon.

Having looked at 200m on a map though, it is a fair distance.

No I wouldn’t buy it.

The health risks are one thing but you will severely limit the pool of potential buyers when you come to sell.

200m is quite far. I live about 200m from a pylon but would never know it because it's separated from the area by several other streets, houses etc.