Quantifying the influence of desert riparian areas on residential property values

The appraisal profession has long recognized the positive influence on residential property values of proximity to attractive amenities. Statistical analysis has documented this effect for proximity to beaches, lakes, riverfront, wetlands, and urban open space. This article examines the impact of desert riparian areas, an important but vanishing natural amenity throughout the arid western United States. It also analyzes the effects of riparian corridors (proposed for protection) on property values in the northeast Tucson metropolitan area in southern Arizona.