NAR Study Finds Americans Prefer Smart Growth Communities

[marmar]

WASHINGTON, April 4 -- The National Association of Realtors issued the following news release:

Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56 percent of respondents preferring smart growth neighborhoods over neighborhoods that require more driving between home, work and recreation. That's according to a recent study, the Community Preference Survey (http://www.realtor.org/wps/wcm/connect/RO-Content/ro/government_affairs/smart_growth/survey), by the National Association of Realtors.

"Realtors care about improving communities through smart growth initiatives," said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. "Our members don't just sell homes, they sell neighborhoods. Realtors understand that different home buyers are looking for all kinds of neighborhood settings and that many home buyers want walkable, transit-accessible communities."

Walkable communities are defined as those where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within walking distance from homes. According to the survey, when considering a home purchase, 77 percent of respondents said they 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. .................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10251323/nar-study-finds-americans-prefer-smart-growth-communities