ORLANDO, Fla. — As large AI data centers are built around the country, residents in the places considering them continue to voice concerns.
Alongside worries about water usage and power consumption, taxpayers showing up to commission and council meetings all around Central Florida are saying property values could be at risk.
Real estate broker Tom McNamara said he has been paying close attention to the development of large data centers.
“It is truly too soon to tell,” he said about their possible effect on property values.
He said one study shows homes right next to data centers might see a negative impact, but added that the revenue they bring in and the way a municipality uses it could make a positive impact.
“If they put data centers where they’re appropriate, in industrial areas, I don’t think they’re going to impact the community at all, so long as there’s enough power and water,” he said.
Realtor.com looked at 43 zip codes across the U.S. and found that home prices trend the same way with or without a local data center. That study does caution that data centers are getting bigger, so future sites could have more impact. It also warns that the time span of this research isn’t very long and there could be long-term impacts on housing values.
Still, local experts, like Orlando Regional REALTOR Association President Chris Atwell, say recent property value changes year-to-year are likely tied to other market influences.
“I wouldn’t correlate that directly to the data center itself,” Atwell said.
Data centers tout construction jobs and tax revenue, but some counties, like Volusia and Lake, are considering moratoriums and even bans.
“Ultimately, it’s going to be up to local governments in partnership with real estate professionals as well as members of the community to decide what’s best for that community,” Atwell said.