1. Home Values Near Rail Lines in Tarrant County
Jakob Howe
GISC 6387
Dr. Briggs

2. Objective
To determine if houses facing toward a rail line are appraised differently than houses facing away from a rail line. Also, are houses facing away from a rail line appraised differently than houses facing away, one block over.

3. Literature
Debrezion, G. and E. Pels. and P. Rietveld The Impact of Railway Stations on Residential and Commercial Property Value: a Meta Analysis. Tinbergen Institute /3: 1-30.
Staiano, M. A Noise Impact Estimates per FTA and APTA Criteria. Journal of Sound and Vibration. 267:
Diaz, R Impacts of Rail Transit on Property Values. American Public Transportation Association Rapid Transit Conference Proceedings Paper: 1-8.

4. Data Rail Lines and Railroad crossings from NCTCOG.
Land Parcels and Land Values from Tarrant County Appraisal District.
Train Traffic Volumes from the Federal Railroad Administration: Office of Safety.

5. Methodology Create rail traffic volumes from railroad crossings.
Determine the best locations for obtaining sample parcels.
Obtain land values for sample parcels.
Compare values for analysis.

6. 378 Rail Road Crossings in Tarrant County.
Each crossing contains a unique ID which can be used to gather information from the Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety website.
A total number of trains per day value is gathered for each crossing.

7. Land parcels were obtained directly from the Tarrant County Appraisal District’s main office via CD.
Only parcels within 1000 feet of a rail line were used in the analysis.
There are 52,458 land parcels within 1000 feet of a rail line in Tarrant County.

8. All parcels must be facing directly to or away from a rail line.
For each train volume type, sample parcels were selected by the following criteria.
All parcels must be facing directly to or away from a rail line.
One of the sample parcel rows must be directly beside the rail line.
More than one parcel in a neighborhood will be selected.
414 parcels were selected for analysis. Of which, 207 parcels were facing toward the rail line and 207 facing away.
For the secondary analysis, 110 parcels were selected. Of which, 55 parcels were in Block1 and 55 in Block 2
Parcels facing away from the rail line.
Parcels in Block 1 facing away.
Parcels in Block 2 facing away.
Parcels facing toward the rail line.

9. Each parcel contains
a PIDN number that
can be referenced to
its appraisal
information.

10. Problems Train traffic volumes are not always uniform on a rail line.
Unable to find suitable parcel samples near rail lines with a volume of 4.
Fewer usable parcel samples with a volume of 5 than other volumes.

11. Results Facing Toward Rail Facing Away From Rail Difference 1-9 10-19
$125,976
$114,596
-$11,380
10-19
$85,259
$90,230
$4,971
20-29
$95,780
$82,668
-$13,112
50-61
$45,544
$35,244
-$10,300
Number of Trains Daily
Parcels facing away from the rail line.
Parcels facing toward the rail line.

12. Results Number of Trains Daily 1st Block 2nd Block Difference 1-9
$65,250
$60,157
-$5,093
10-19
$106,453
$110,563
$4,110
20-29
$51,030
$59,946
$8,916
50-61
$35,244
$53,175
$17,931
Parcels in Block 1 facing away.
Parcels in Block 2 facing away.

13. Results Occasional noise impact at 143 meters.
Some impact of noise at 51 meters.
Severe impact of noise at 21 meters.
Parcels in Block 1 facing away from rail line.
Parcels in Block 1 facing toward a rail line.
Noise impact estimates taken from, Noise-Impact Estimates per FTA and APTA Criteria. (pg 413 Staiano)
Parcels in Block 2 facing away

14. Conclusion
Based on the analysis, house values appear to be affected by train traffic volume and proximity to a rail line.
Noise and/or vibration is obviously playing some part in the value of homes.
Houses facing toward a rail line will have a higher appraised value than those facing away from a rail line.
Houses which are directly one block from a rail line will have significantly higher appraised values than its counterpart nearer to the rail line.