In some cities, people "are willing to pay more for a home - or accept less in terms of square footage and amenities - in exchange for proximity to shopping, entertainment, work and school."
Just how walkable is your neighborhood?
Check out WalkScore.com, a free Web site that will take your address - anywhere in the United States - and map it with local amenities to show just how walkable (or not) it is. A score of 49 or less is "Car-Dependent", while a score of 90 or more is a "Walker's Paradise". A survey of 15 markets around the country found that "for each typical metropolitan area, each additional point of Walk Score was associated with a $700- to $3,000-increase in home values."
How walkable is the South Bay? Check out these scores, and then type in your own address:
El Segundo.....91
Carson.....68
Gardena.....91
Harbor City.....74
Hawthorne.....86
Hermosa Beach.....83
Lawndale.....83
Lomita.....75
Manhattan Beach.....82
Redondo Beach.....88
San Pedro.....95
Torrance.....69
Wilmington.....69
(Here's what it means):
90–100 = Walkers' Paradise
70–89 = Very Walkable
50–69 = Somewhat Walkable
25–49 = Car-Dependent
0–24 = Car-Dependent (Driving Only)
