Dallas homebuyers value neighborhood walkability
Walk•a•bil•i•ty, noun. The measure of how friendly an area is to walking.
It aids health and benefits Mother Earth. It creates kid- and pet-friendly environments and increases sociability. It cuts transportation costs and augments property value. So it’s no surprise that walkability is at the forefront of homebuyers’ minds. Real estate agents across the U.S. have grown accustomed to hearing, “How walkable is the neighborhood?”
And local realtors are fortunate to have a solid response. With an overall Walk Score of 51, Dallas is proud to be America’s 24th Most Walkable metro.
Of course some areas of Dallas welcome pedestrians more than others, which is why the interactive map on walkscore.com is especially helpful. Using an (imperfect) algorithm, the site determines where specific neighborhoods fall on a walkability continuum. And according to their calculations, Big D has some incredibly pedi-friendly parts.
If you’d like to live in a “Walker’s Paradise,” then consider one of the following:
- Uptown / West Village (a Walk Score of 91)
- The West End (98)
- Oak Lawn (95)
- Knox-Henderson (95)
And for those who don’t mind driving a bit, these neighborhoods still classify as “Very Walkable”:
- The Arts District (89)
- Turtle Creek (83)
- Victory Park (82)
- Highland Park / University Park (77)
Specializing in several of Dallas’ urban areas, realtor Katye Sloan confirms homebuyers’ increasing interest in walkability. ”Many of my clients are longtime Dallasites moving from the Park Cities and North Dallas to Uptown or Turtle Creek because of the ‘walk to life’ ease these areas offer.” She has also observed this pattern in those relocating to Dallas, especially if they are moving from high-density cities. Sloan concludes, “Walkability is now an important criteria for a home search – as important as the number of bedrooms or square footage.”
To find a home with exceptional walkability, contact Katye Sloan or visit briggsfreeman.com. Also follow @UpdateDallas on Twitter for the latest real estate updates.
