Nowadays, more people are working from home. They are able to avoid commuting and are trying to get along without a car in their day-to-day life. Walkable access to daily needs and public transportation are the keys to being able to sell their car or at least keep it parked for longer periods of time.
Using a patented system, Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. It is based on a point system where amenities within a 5-minute walk are given maximum points. Using a declining system, points are assigned for amenities for up to a 30-minute walk, with no points awarded after 30 minutes. It also uses an algorithm to analyze pedestrian friendliness by reviewing population density and road metrics like block length and intersection density.
The Walk Score® Point system is based on the scale below:
In our local MLS – the IRES MLS – you can search for properties based on their Walk Score® categories shown above. People who would like to get along without a car can search for a high walk score. On the flip side, those who want to be in a less populated or more rural area can search for a low walk score.
Currently, on IRES, there is only the ability to search for Walk Score®. However, technology is expanding, and scores are now available for biking and transit.
Bike Score® measures how bike-friendly a place is. The Bike Score® is calculated for a given location using an algorithm that takes into consideration biking infrastructure, hills, trails, road connectivity and the number of bike commuters. The Bike Score point system looks like this:
Transit Score® is a patented measure of how well a location is served by public transit. Transit Score is based on data released in a standard format by public transit agencies. To calculate a Transit Score®, a “usefulness” value is assigned to nearby transit routes based on the frequency, type of route (rail, bus, etc.), and distance to the nearest stop on the route. The point system for Transit Score looks like this:
Go to walkscore.com and type in your address where you live or a home you may be interested in buying. If you are looking for a home, you can ask your Realtor® to utilize the Walk Score® search feature on the IRES Multiple Listing Service.
Duane graduated with a business degree and a major in real estate from the University of Colorado in 1978. He has been a Realtor® in Boulder since that time. He joined RE/MAX of Boulder in 1982 and has facilitated over 2,500 transactions over his career. Living the life of a Realtor and being immersed in real estate led to the inception of his book, Realtor for Life. For questions, e-mail duaneduggan@boulderco.com, call 303.441.5611 or visit BoulderPropertyNetwork.com.