Well, what I mean is that with few exceptions, black folks tend not to want to move into white neighborhoods, and whites tend not to want to move into black neighborhoods, and as such, there are very few middle-class and above, truly mixed neighborhoods. This is opposed to (I’ll call it) forced segregation, whereby there’s actually organized resistance to allowing a different race to move into the neighborhood (either by the residents, or the government).
Certainly there are a couple of well-known cases where this has happened, though. A newspaper investigation told the tale of a Grosse Pointe realtor that tried to steer black couples away. There was also Eastpointe which was forced to drop the residency requirement for city hires, because it was racist, because, let’s just say, it’s difficult for non-whites to move into Eastpointe (or was several years ago; I don’t know the current situation).
I look for the following:
-old cars, up on blocks in back yards (extra points if in the front)
-overflowing trash cans, exposed to view
-broken windows, patched with pieces of cardboard boxes
-loud “jungle” music blasting from 1000 watt sound systems
-adults (of employable age) lazing about
-cigarette butts and used syringes littering the grounds
-pit bull dogs in yards
These are all signs of a “neighborhood in transistion”-and the turnaround is right around the corener-buy today!
While it may not be applicable to some areas, I wouldn’t consider any place that isn’t close (walking distance) to the light rail in Phoenix. When I lived in Dallas, I was also in walking distance to DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) Not being close was always a deal breaker.
If there are no footpaths/sidewalks installed, why not just walk on the grass/dirt where the sidewalk would otherwise be? It would be a problem with prams, but not walking.
If you live deep in the depths of a suburb such as here*, there may be a plethora of sidewalks - but unless you’re going to school, there’s really nowhere to go: no casual restaurants or grocery stores or movie theaters or anything like that, so if you want to walk, you’re either going for a very long walk, or just in a circle.
Additionally there may not be sidewalks, and/or your neighborhood might be boxed in by major roads which also don’t have sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings. And, of course, there are other factors like crime and climate.
*Random neighborhood from the town I grew up in - most of the town is more or less inaccessible without a car. My parents live across town from that map segment and are less than half a mile from a shopping mall and less than a mile from a grocery store, but there’s no safe way to get to either other than by car.
As an apartment dweller (as opposed to a potential home buyer), I would look for walkability, high speed internet connection, cell phone coverage (I currently live in TN where some areas are spotty to non-existant), kids / retirees in the neighborhood (I work odd hours and sleep days, bunches of kids tend to interrupt that, retirees, on the other hand, don’t usually make a lot of noise), background noise (freeways, flyovers, neighbor’s boom cars or oompa music), crime stats and the availability of a good bookstore / coffee shop.
So the criteria is - availability of services within walking distance. Not simply the ability to physically ambulate around the streets and go for a walk just for the sake of walking. I get it now.
Here is a similar sort of desolate, suburban wasteland from the city I live in.
I would add the crime rate. Links to community services.
If they are renters or buyers you want to be able to advise them what areas are good and what areas to stay out of. This might be hard unless you actually live there.
Thanks again. Looks like walkability deserves serious consideration. I seem to recall Google Maps, or some other major player, added some sort of “walkability” rating. I’d started to seriously work on this project a few months ago, but abandoned it. It would cover just a few counties, mostly due to the cost of data.
Is the neighborhood a barren plain?
Was it clearcut to build but there are some decorative trees now?
Is it a nice semi-forrested area?
Are there 150ft. + Pines waiting to clobber my house to smithereens?
It might be important to note that for me, when I am out walking it’s not usually for leisure. It’s to get to and from the subway, or to and from the market or drugstore. If I am out for a leisure stroll I might be less persnickety about good sidewalks.
Walkablility. I want to live somewhere I can walk to lots of place. At my current home I can walk to several parks, the grocery store, bus stops, tons of restaurants, the barber shop, a great bakery, schools, etc etc
And I don’t live in a urban big city like SF or NYC. I just live in central Tucson.
I wouldn’t want to live in that sort of area: I have friends who live (by choice) in Mount Druitt (which is about 5 km from there), and it’s a pretty boring area. However, most houses seem to be within walking distance of some shops, etc. There are suburban areas of cities in the US where the housing density is much lower than that, and there really is nothing at all within walking distance. (Fortunately, where I live is not like that – I can walk to supermarkets, a bookshop, restaurants, a cinema, etc.)