Living Where the Action Is!

In this day and age, many families want to live where the action is.  They look for a home in an area convenient to grocery stores, to shopping malls, to schools, perhaps to work and/or to recreational areas.  They want pedestrian friendly neighborhoods where they can walk to many locations easily and safely!  Recent studies on walkable residential areas conducted in Seattle, Washington and reported in the Seattle Times  have shown that walkable neighborhoods offer surprising benefits to health, to the environment, and to the individuals who live in the communities.

According to Walk Score, benefits include:

• Better health: A study in Washington State found that the average resident of a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood weighs 7 pounds less than someone who lives in a sprawling neighborhood.  In addition those residents of walkable neighborhoods drive less and suffer fewer car accidents, a leading cause of death between the ages of 15–45.
• Reduction in greenhouse gas: Cars are a leading cause of environmental problems. Your feet cause zero-pollution.
• More transportation options: Compact neighborhoods tend to have higher population density, which leads to more public transportation options and bicycle infrastructure. Not only is taking the bus cheaper than driving, but riding a bus is ten times safer than driving a car according to Sightline Institute!
• Increased social capital: Walking promotes face-to-face interaction with your neighbors. Sightline also reports that for every 10 minutes a person spends in a daily car commute, the time spent in community personal interaction falls by 10%.
• Stronger local businesses: Dense, walkable neighborhoods provide local businesses with the foot traffic they need to thrive. It's easier for pedestrians to shop at many stores on one trip, since they don't need to drive between destinations.

If you  like to walk and are looking for a home, check out the  best neighborhoods for walking and their walk scores in neighborhoods in 40 United States cities.

Bruce and Mary are South Carolina REALTORS® specializing in Savannah Lakes Village, a planned retirement and second home golf and lake front community in McCormick County, South Carolina.

Bruce & Mary Smith  "Living Where the Action Is"