A New Trend Towards Simplified Life Styles
The Urban Land Institute, ULI, is an international, nonprofit, education and research institute with a focus on the use of land in order to enhance the total environment. Richard Ross, President of the ULI Worldwide, states, “The factors that will cause lasting change in development patterns are the inevitable rise of energy costs, demographic shifts resulting in smaller households, the overall aging of the population, and concern over climate change.
A trend towards mixed use infill communities is spreading across the country, and also exists in Boise. The concept of mixed use goes beyond incorporating residential, retail and commercial properties. It implies developing neighborhoods with walkable streets that provide easy access to existing public amenities and newly developed facilities such as city parks, shops, schools, office space, and retail stores.
Home buyers concerned over rising gas prices want to live closer to work and amenities offered by living in proximity to the city core; they want to get out of the car. A well designed and well placed infill life style development, such as Bown Crossing in southeast Boise, Highlands Village at the end of Harrison Blvd. on Bogus Basin Rd. in Boise’s north end, and the Garden Center development located on 36th Street in northwest Boise, conform to what the ULI is predicting as a new development style. Homes in a newly constructed neighborhoods offering restaurants, coffee shops, retail stores, office space for residents, and other close by amenities are actively selling, even in this under-performing market.
Another factor fueling the move to infill, mixed use, core located communities is changing demographics. As the baby boom generation ages, they are looking to a simplified life style by down sizing. Most mixed use communities offer a variety of home styles that tend to have smaller lots and smaller square footage homes. Most of these new communities are also maintained by a home owners association, allowing the residents to sidestep the drudgery of yard maintenance. In light of the current economic conditions, buyers in general are being more conservative and are gravitating to smaller, more affordable homes.
If shortening your commute or eliminating it completely, living in a location where you can walk to coffee in the morning or dinner at night, and being lucky enough to live a block or two from work appeals to you, then maybe a mixed use community is for you. All you need to do is contact a Group One agent today to make that dream come true.