Energy Irony: It's a Gas!

Here's what I find odd: The picture to the left was taken in the 1970s. I'm not a car buff, so it's hard to say which oil crisis this picture is from - the one in 1973 or the one in 1979.

Either way, somehow, us crazy Americans turned the two energy crises in the 1970s into the suburb and exurb crazes of the 1980s and beyond.

How did this turn into this?

It's been nearly forty years since Americans had to wait in long, winding lines to fill up their cars and it's been more than forty days since the Gulf of Mexico has been free of oil.

Of course, the current oil spill and real estate are closely linked; and not just because beachfront properties are now being affected. Every exurb and suburb that has been created since the 1950s is linked to this spill. The more we built out and created cookie-cutter neighborhoods that required more and more roads and cars, the more oil we needed to drill for. Every time a local community dismantled a streetcar or took away bus routes, we needed to drill a bit deeper to keep pace with our "lifestyles".

Luckily, more and more people are seeing the benefits of creating mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods designed for humans and not cars. Neighborhoods where people not only live, but work and shop as well. Only time will tell if we can find newer energy resources.

Ironically enough, this oil spill may just be the emergency we need to finally ween ourselves off of oil.

Walk this Way - Designing Communities For the Elderly

This past Saturday afternoon found me waiting at a stop sign at the end of my street for a bit longer than I would have liked. I was attempting to make a left hand turn onto a busy road, but I wasn't the only one waiting to get to my destination. Across the street to my right, an elderly lady, having just finished a grocery store run, was waiting to cross the same busy street at a pedestrian crosswalk.

Cars were flying by in both directions, and she was patiently waiting until the roadway was clear. Unfortunately, she was waiting longer than me; I made my left turn and continued down the street as her reflection got smaller and smaller in my rear-view mirror.

This got me to thinking, which is always a dangerous thing. But, having had a grandfather live his last days in a cold nursing home and with my grandmother currently living with my parents, I began to wonder if there's not a better way to create communities for the elderly--one which doesn't involve playing a deathly game of Frogger just to get a gallon of milk.

Senior living centers are certainly one way to avoid dodging Dodges, but is there a better way to make the neighborhoods and communities easier to navigate for those not used to the fast-paced, breakneck speeds of our modern society?

Comfortable and Easy

I certainly hope so, and not just for my own future: beginning next year, the population of those 65 and older will continue to grow faster than the total population of each state, and, within a mere twenty years, may overtake all other age demographics across the country.

Realty Times has an article today that discusses what kind of homes aging baby boomers want (hint: comfortable and easy). Shouldn't they also want a neighborhood to match?

"I Wish They'd Bring Back the Streetcars"

I too walk to the same grocery store as my elderly neighbor and I too have been subject to waiting and waiting and waiting while at the same crosswalk. Once, when standing next to her, I mentioned how annoying it was having to dodge traffic just to get a loaf of bread.

"I wish they'd bring back the streetcars," was what she told me, herself obviously annoyed too at what used to be a very walkable neighborhood. Luckily, more and more cities are looking into bringing streetcars back, including Cincinnati.

And I hope it happens. After all, when I'm 80 years old, I don't want to have to worry about getting hit by a flying car. I'll have enough to worry about as it is.

dotloop.com

Local Yokels

Last week, I touched upon localism when discussing preservation. As any REALTOR knows, and as their tagline asserts, every market is different. Indeed, perhaps more than anyone, real estate agents know first hand why keeping it local is so important. And, as trends continue, the old adage of think global, shop local is becoming more and more prevalent.

Local Lettuce

Almost every Sunday from May to October, I hit up the local farmers markets here in Cincinnati. Findlay Market, one of the nation's oldest continuously operated farmers market is a mecca for fresh poultry and home-grown tomatoes. Local eating has taken off, thanks to a renewed interest in healthy foods. In fact, 'locavores' have made such an impact, even national retailer giants like Wal-Mart are using local produce in some of its stores.

A rising interest in locally grown food not only cuts down on food transportation, but helps keep your hard-earned cash in your local economy, helping both your local farmer and your school district, as the tax base grows. It's a win-win for both you and the community, plus you know exactly where your food is coming from.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

The American love affair with the car is coming to an end. Sure, gas prices are going up (they're up nationally about 87 cents over the same time last year), but even at "low" price of $2.72 a gallon, gas is just one component of the entire cost of operating a vehicle. By the time you add maintenance and insurance costs, the average mile costs you 55 cents to travel (find out how much it costs you to drive here). Couple this with the "free"way system (which was bailed out to the tune of $8 billion in 15 months ago) that costs millions per mile, and the costs really add up.

Such trends not only affect the way people travel, but ultimately, how and where they live.

Walk This Way

With the loss of romance for the car, more and more people are looking for walkable communities. In fact, a recent study has shown that walkability has a high affect on home values. The site WalkScore.com tells prospective home buyers just how often they'll need to turn the key to get a gallon of milk. The higher the Walk Score, the better. Homes that had a higher Walk Score in Charlotte, NC, for example, sold for almost $30,000 more than their counterparts that requires more octane.

Lucky And Local

So, just what does this mean for the agent? As a local expert, by being able to tell your clients about the local restaurant that uses locally grown produce and is only two blocks away from a sale may be the selling point they need to hear. Your knowledge of the little treasures that make a neighborhood desirable--aside from the usual good school district or low crime--can help you become a reliable asset for your clients.

dotloop.com