Improve the Infrastructure of Your Community. Courtesy of Josh Gonzalez of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties in Clifton Park NY and Todd Stewart of Stewart Construction Inc a Custom Home Builder in Burnt Hills NY.
New community infrastructure dolls up your neighborhood while potentially goosing up home values. Follow these four tips to get upgrades that boost your neighborhood's curb appeal.
The first step in getting a sidewalk or other infrastructure in your neighborhood is to talk to local officials. Image: Royalty-Free/Corbis/Jupiterimages.
Improve the Infrastructure of Your Community. Courtesy of Josh Gonzalez of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties in Clifton Park NY and Todd Stewart of Stewart Construction Inc a Custom Home Builder in Burnt Hills NY.
A well-lit, easily walkable neighborhood creates a sense of community and makes an area more desirable to prospective home buyers. That desirability is something appraisers will note when valuing homes.
In a competitive real estate market, dandy infrastructure can even set your ‘hood apart from others with similar homes. So running a campaign to get infrastructure improvements fattens your equity and your neighbors', too.
A local REALTOR® can tell you which infrastructure upgrades would deliver the most value to your community.
But getting a community infrastructure improvement going isn't a simple project. Your campaign for new infrastructure will take at least 100 hours of your time, as you lobby government officials, publicize your efforts, and generate public support for your project.
Improve the Infrastructure of Your Community. Courtesy of Josh Gonzalez of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties in Clifton Park NY and Todd Stewart of Stewart Construction Inc a Custom Home Builder in Burnt Hills NY.
1. Find out who controls community infrastructure.
Call your mayor or councilperson's office to find out which office of your local government handles infrastructure upgrades and additions. Ask if your city or town has any short- or long-term plans to develop a grid of sidewalks or street lighting.
"Developing a system of sidewalks leading to a downtown, shopping district, or local school adds more value to the neighborhood than disjointed sections of sidewalk," says Cheryl E. Kuck, public information officer for the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation.
You can pitch your infrastructure project as something the community wants, but being able to say your community needs the project is better. Example: If you want sidewalks, argue that kids need them to walk safely home from school rather than saying you need them because they'll improve your home value.
2. Ask about the community infrastructure approval process.
Some jurisdictions ask you to get a certain number or percentage of people who live near the project to sign a petition saying they approve of the project. Others have a lengthy process that involves a zoning or planning board.
Once you know the process, figure out how to present your case.
3. Find out from local government who will pick up the tab for community infrastructure projects.
It's not cheap. Concrete curbs and sidewalks cost about $15 per linear foot for curbing and $11 per square foot for walkways. Streetlight and crosswalk costs differ depending on their design.
Funding sources may include:
- Local, state, and federal tax dollars
- Assessments charged to home owners (Local officials may be able to offer relief or deferrals to seniors.)
- Bonds issued by local government and paid back over many years
- Money set aside by government for capital improvements
4. Deflate the naysayers.
One strategy to defuse them: Emphasize the health factor. As Americans become more conscious of the environment and their health, crosswalks and sidewalks are a good way to get your neighbors out of their cars. A walking-friendly neighborhood will hold its value better than a simliar neighborhood that's not walkable.
Support for infrastructure projects can quickly snowball. "Building community support helps to sway local council people to your side," says Charlie Zegeer, director of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center. By: Myra A. Thomas
Improve the Infrastructure of Your Community. Courtesy of Josh Gonzalez of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties in Clifton Park NY and Todd Stewart of Stewart Construction Inc a Custom Home Builder in Burnt Hills NY.
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