We've blogged before about how it may be impossible to get a mortgage or FHA loan on property with or near gas leasing due to the hazards. We've also blogged about decreases in assessed property values and difficulties in selling homes.
A 2010 article re-emphasizes these important issues. Many opponents of environmental protections for natural gas operations claim that cleaning up the industry would kill jobs or ruin economies. Their numbers don't take into account the economic losses from pollution and destruction. Any solid economic analysis must account for both costs as well as benefits.
As one experienced realtor states clearly: "It would be helpful if the same people who signed leases could see how much we have lost in revenue from property and home buyers who made use of local services, frequented retail shops and restaurants and hired local contractors for building and remodeling. We can someday, perhaps, recover from the economic downturn …but leases run with the land.”