Large majorities of Americans say they want to live in a neighborhood they can walk, according to a new survey from the National Association of Realtors. Walkability ranked high among surveyed buyers, who made clear that they’d prefer to live in a mixed-use neighborhood with easy access to amenities. In fact, 89 percent said sidewalks and places to walk are important when deciding where to live and 63 percent said they’d be willing to pay more to live in an area where they could easily walk to parks, shops, and restaurants. Shannon McGahn, NAR’s executive vice president and chief advocacy officer, says American home buyers know what they want. “It’s clear that Americans place a high value on making sure the place they call home has the amenities they need to lead a happy and healthy life,” McGahn said. Walkable neighborhoods are so popular with buyers that when given the choice between a larger home but more driving versus a smaller lot in a walkable neighborhood, a full 59 percent said they’d take less space and walkability over a bigger house. (source)
