Compared to other markets in the US, California's luxury real-estate markets may not be desirable in terms of air quality, according to an analysis of data from the Environmental Protection Agency. On the other hand Luxury markets in Hawaii spearhead some of the best. The study conducted by RealtyTrac invovled 1,229 ZIP Codes with an average home price of at least $500,000 and at least 1,000 homes and condos. Housing data was covered with readings from the EPA's air-quality guide. It measures a number of pollutants ranked on a numerical value of 0 to 500 and the lower the value means lesser health
The study checked the markets that have highest and lowest percentage of good air quality days in a year's time, specifically a value of 50 or lower in the guide.As reported by the Wall Street Journal, RealtyTrac Vice President Daren Blomquist has said that the top ten highly polluted market by state is found out to have average home value of $844,456 while the 10 least polluted had an average value of $811,033. According to Blomquist, high-end markets are denser because he added, "That's where the jobs are".
On the other hand, it has been observed that the greener cities are those that have vacation and retirement homes outside of urban centers.
According to Wall Street Journal, Blomquist has said that the worst 129 ZIP Codes were all found in California, with Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties seen as very highly polluted. Luckily, even for the ZIP Codes with the worst air quality none of the markets had more than 1.15% days a year with an unhealthy air quality index (value of 151-200).
According to Wall Street Journal, Janice E. Nolen, an assistant vice president of the American Lung Association, attributes poor air quality to heavy industry and geography.
While Rachel Herschenfeld, a dermatologist, of Needham, Mass., said after closing on a $951,000 vacation home in the are, "As soon as we cross the bridge, we roll down the windows, and it smells different."
