The National Association of Realtors® has found that the majority of Americans prefer living in mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods, “where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within an easy stroll from their homes and their jobs are a short commute away,” according to the NAR’s newly released 2011 Community Preference Survey.
According to the survey, 56% of people in the U.S. prefer living in a “smart growth community,” and 43% opt for a “sprawl community.”
It seems that the cost and hassle of driving these days is impacting how people choose where to live. Most people would opt for smaller residences, if it means they can drive less, the survey found. This point is also made by Kaid Benfield, the director of Sustainable Communities & Smart Growth, in his blog post on the Natural Resources Defense Council Staff Blog “SWiTHBOARD.”
On the other hand, the many people who “prefer the sprawl community are motivate mostly by desire to live in single-family homes on larger lots,” according to the survey. And the privacy that single-family homes and larger lots provide appeals to many people.
Jennifer Eberbach is a professional journalist and writer. Find contact information on her website www.jenthewriter.info
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