I'm a walker. Walking saves me money, reduces pollution, benefits my health, connects me with my neighbors, etc. I enjoy walking for a multitude of reasons that I won't get into because I would end up writing a book.
As the economy tanks, I am tempted to buy a house due in part to low interest rates, tax incentives, dropping home prices, and the thin walls in my present apartment. I live in a location where I can walk to work (~1 mile), post office, grocery store, pharmacy, and just about everywhere I need to go. In my house search I have been trying to keep walkability in mind. I've been house hunting with www.walkscore.com. This website is slick and takes the guess work out of locating nearby amenities.
When you enter an address it calculates all of the items within a 1 mile radius. The greater the amenities surrounding the address, the higher the 'walk score'. Amenities within .25 get higher points and anything outside of 1 mile does not count.
Try it out, plug in your home, prospective home, work, etc…
I entered my work address (Courthouse) and unsurprisingly found it rated at 97/100 - which is labeled as a " Walker’s Paradise". That is a testament to Arlington’s smart growth, mixed-use development, and transit-oriented development. For more information visit:
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