WASHINGTON – April 5, 2011 – Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56 percent of respondents preferring smart-growth communities over ones that require more driving between home, work and recreation, according to the Community Preference Survey from the National Association of Realtors®.
“Realtors care about improving communities through smart-growth initiatives,” says NAR President Ron Phipps.
Walkable communities are those with shops, restaurants and local businesses located within walking distance of homes. When considering a home purchase, the survey found that 77 percent of respondents would look for neighborhoods with abundant sidewalks and other pedestrian-friendly features, and 50 percent would like to see improvements to existing public transportation rather than initiatives to build new roads and developments.
The survey also found that many buyers are willing to sacrifice square footage for less driving. Eighty percent of those surveyed would prefer to live in a single-family, detached home as long as it didn’t require a longer commute, but nearly three out of five of those surveyed – 59 percent – would choose a smaller home if it meant a commute time of 20 minutes or less.
Most people considered a community’s characteristics important. When considering a purchase, 88 percent of respondents placed more value on the quality of the neighborhood than the size of the home; 77 percent of those surveyed want communities with high-quality schools.
© 2011 Florida Realtors®
“Realtors care about improving communities through smart-growth initiatives,” says NAR President Ron Phipps.
Walkable communities are those with shops, restaurants and local businesses located within walking distance of homes. When considering a home purchase, the survey found that 77 percent of respondents would look for neighborhoods with abundant sidewalks and other pedestrian-friendly features, and 50 percent would like to see improvements to existing public transportation rather than initiatives to build new roads and developments.
The survey also found that many buyers are willing to sacrifice square footage for less driving. Eighty percent of those surveyed would prefer to live in a single-family, detached home as long as it didn’t require a longer commute, but nearly three out of five of those surveyed – 59 percent – would choose a smaller home if it meant a commute time of 20 minutes or less.
Most people considered a community’s characteristics important. When considering a purchase, 88 percent of respondents placed more value on the quality of the neighborhood than the size of the home; 77 percent of those surveyed want communities with high-quality schools.
© 2011 Florida Realtors®
No comments:
Post a Comment