Many people enjoy the opportunity of walking to the store, to the library, to the movies, and so on, which is why in some cities, walking communities have become a homebuyer’s dream. Although you cannot find walking communities everywhere, they are exceptionally popular on the West Coast.
Buy moving into a walking community, you have all the conveniences of urban living. These communities are designed to include everything within easy walking distance. However, you need to consider everything before plunking down money in that some critics, say not everything is as it is labeled,.
While a pedestrian lifestyle does cut down on trips to the gas station and maybe even the number of cars a family would need to own, the financial gains may not be as good as with a traditional home. Walking communities first started because of suburban sprawl and a growing dependence on automobiles, zoning practices that segregated commercial, and retail districts from residential neighborhoods, overbuilding of highways, and the secondary mortgage market.
Keep in mind that living in a neighborhood designed with the pedestrian in mind does have the potential of saving enough in transportation costs to cover the mortgage. For instance, in a two-income household, if one person can get by without having a car for transportation, the average savings of $680 a month.
Remember that people often move into a walking community with the idea that it will cut down on travel expenses and if the right neighborhood is chosen, you could save as much as 40%. However, while all of this sounds good on paper, you need to remember that not everyone wants this type of living. Therefore, when it comes time to sell, you might be faced with some challenges not associated with a traditional home. Therefore, weigh out the benefits of a walking community with a traditional neighborhood so you make the best choice for you and your future.