Market participants’ reactions toward contaminated property in New Zealand and the USA Available to Purchase

While numerous studies have been carried out in the US to determine the character and scope of the effects of contaminated, threatened or “stigmatized” properties on the terms and availability of debt financing, little appears in the published literature dealing with the attitudes, policies and requirements of equity investors. Hence, the extent of opposition from both institutional lenders and equity investors toward contaminated property is still uncertain. This paper summarises the results of parallel studies undertaken within New Zealand (NZ) and the USA to answer the question of how those who lend on, and invest in, property affected or impacted by contamination perceive the risks associated with this type of investment and evaluate its impacts. Of particular interest are the perceived effects of on‐site contamination on property investment and its financing.