A recent study conducted by the National Association of Realtors has revealed a great deal of information about the types of neighborhoods Americans wish to live in. The Community Preference Survey showed that an astounding number of Americans would prefer to live in a walkable, mixed-use neighborhood, otherwise known as smart growth neighborhoods, over those that require them to drive between work, home, and recreational activities, according to Residential Design + Build magazine.
77 percent of Americans surveyed by the National Association of Realtors said they look for neighborhoods with pedestrian-friendly features like this one in Florida.
The survey’s results revealed that 77 percent of the respondents said they look for neighborhoods with sidewalks and pedestrian-friendly features, while 50 percent noted they would like to see improvements to existing public transportation over new roads and developments. The survey also revealed that consumers would willingly sacrifice square footage space for less driving.
Ron Phipps, the President of the National Association of Realtors, said “Realtors care about improving communities through smart growth initiatives… Realtors understand that different home buyers are looking for all kinds of neighborhood settings and that many home buyers want walkable, transit-accessible communities.”
Image Courtesy of EPA Smart Growth/Flickr via Switchboard.nrdc.org.
