Special offer

Walkability - A New Category For Evaluating Neighborhoods

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with DDR Realty

A Seattle-based nonprofit research organization, The Sightline Institute, has developed a web site which enables buyers to locate homes in communities which offer walking accessibility to shopping areas, restaurants, schools and parks. 

The service utilizes patent pending algorithms and Google Maps to analyze and rate addresses with a Walk Score between 0 and 100, with 100 being the best walk-ability area. The Sightline Institute points out that the Walk Score is an approximation and cannot account for everything such as: crime, bodies of water, hills and weather. 

To preview the site click on this link:  http://www.walkscore.com/

Comments (18)

Carol Lynne Bull
Keller Williams - Alexandria, VA

This is a really cool site. Del Ray Alexandria VA. got a 69 out of 100 I think we should have a higher score!

   Carol Bull Nova Star

Oct 29, 2007 12:19 PM
Mike and Dawn Lewis
The Lewis Team at Keller Williams - San Diego, CA
The Lewis Team at Keller Williams in San Diego CA

Derrick,

I like communities where I can walk to things like restaurants and coffee. I like some of the master planned community designs that go out of their way to incorporate that. I'll check my area out on that link - good post!

Mike Lewis

Oct 29, 2007 02:00 PM
Kimberly Moore
eXp Realty of California - South Lake Tahoe, CA
Why Settle For Less When You Can Have Moore
I  know I have had clients that needed stores to be close to the home of choice.  Thank you for the website.  Pretty cool....
Oct 29, 2007 03:26 PM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Carol - The site is convenient. Sorry that your area did score higher!
Oct 30, 2007 12:06 AM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY

Mike - Thanks. I hope your find the site useful.

Oct 30, 2007 12:08 AM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Kimberly - You are welcome. I thought it was pretty cool too.
Oct 30, 2007 12:10 AM
Rosario Lewis
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
GRI, SRES - DDR Realty - Orange County, NY
The site sounds very useful, but I had to laugh at the comment, "cannot account for everything such as: ... bodies of water..." Water skis anyone?
Oct 30, 2007 12:31 AM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Rosario - Just wanted the lovers of water sports to know the limitations.
Oct 30, 2007 12:34 AM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

This is a really great idea! My home actually got a 69 out of 100 also and I was a little surprised at that, I actually expected it to be a little bit higher.

But this is an awesome tool to give to clients and I actually have one right now that doesn't have a car. Me and my wife just decided to look at some of the things on the map and it is missing a lot and it has one thing that is 40 feet from my front door at .81 miles away. Needs some work, but over all still a great tool.

Todd

Oct 30, 2007 05:13 PM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Todd - It is a good toll and functional, but is still a work in progress.
Oct 31, 2007 12:05 AM
Timothy Schwartz
Century 21 Mack Morris Iris Lurie - Marlboro Twp, NJ
Derrick, thanks for joining http://activerain.com/groups/selljunk Hope to see ya there, we have a motorcycle for sale, we need more junk....Got anything?
Oct 31, 2007 02:24 AM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
You're welcome Tim. I plan to utilize the group. Starting it was a great idea.
Oct 31, 2007 02:29 AM
Danielle V. Lewis
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
DDR Realty
This is a good idea for those that need the proximity, or if they simply want extra exercise.
Nov 01, 2007 02:29 PM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Danielle - The site is a good idea and walking is a good form of exercise.
Nov 02, 2007 12:32 AM
Donna Yates
BHGRE - Metro Brokers - Blue Ridge, GA
Blue Ridge Mountains
Derrick:  What a cool idea and one that I will be more interested in using for myself as time goes by.  But I am going back now to check it out because this really seems to be a smart way to research homes.
Nov 16, 2007 11:40 PM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Donna - This tool can prove to be helpful and useful.
Nov 17, 2007 02:00 AM
Rosa Updale
Appleseed Group - Staten Island, NY
Associate Broker
What a great site!  Buyers coming to Staten Island want this information & now I have it with a click of a button!  Thanks so much
Jan 15, 2008 02:21 PM
DDR Realty
DDR Realty - Newburgh, NY
Orange County NY
Rosa - You're welcome. The site is a pretty cool tool.
Jan 15, 2008 10:34 PM