Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of economic obsolescence?

Economic obsolescence refers to a decrease in property value that arises from external factors beyond the property owner’s control, such as changes in market conditions, economic downturns, or neighborhood decline. Each of the other characteristics supports this understanding.

The option regarding personal curbing of economic obsolescence accurately highlights a key aspect: owners generally cannot mitigate or prevent economic obsolescence through their own actions or improvements. This is because such obsolescence originates from external influences rather than the condition of the property itself. For instance, if a property is negatively impacted by a newly constructed highway diverting traffic away from a business area, the property owner has no direct means to counteract this external development.

On the other hand, the characteristics indicating that economic obsolescence arises from external factors, negatively affects property value, and is often permanent are all correct attributes of this phenomenon. Thus, it is the inability of property owners to address economic obsolescence through personal efforts that underscores why the selected response is not a characteristic associated with this type of value loss.