Metro Jacksonville

http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/04/smart_growth (http://www.realtor.org/press_room/news_releases/2011/04/smart_growth)

QuoteNAR Study Finds Americans Prefer Smart Growth Communities


Washington, DC, April 04, 2011

Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56 percent of respondents preferring smart growth neighborhoods over neighborhoods that require more driving between home, work and recreation. That’s according to a recent study, the Community Preference Survey, by the National Association of REALTORS®.

“REALTORS® care about improving communities through smart growth initiatives,” said NAR President Ron Phipps, broker-president of Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I. “Our members don’t just sell homes, they sell neighborhoods. REALTORS® understand that different home buyers are looking for all kinds of neighborhood settings and that many home buyers want walkable, transit-accessible communities.”

Walkable communities are defined as those where shops, restaurants, and local businesses are within walking distance from homes. According to the survey, when considering a home purchase, 77 percent of respondents said they would look for neighborhoods with abundant sidewalks and other pedestrian-friendly features, and 50 percent would like to see improvements to existing public transportation rather than initiatives to build new roads and developments.

The survey also revealed that while space is important to home buyers, many are willing to sacrifice square footage for less driving. Eighty percent of those surveyed would prefer to live in a single-family, detached home as long as it didn’t require a longer commute, but nearly three out of five of those surveyed â€" 59 percent â€" would choose a smaller home if it meant a commute time of 20 minutes or less.

The survey also found that community characteristics are very important to most people. When considering a home purchase, 88 percent of respondents placed more value on the quality of the neighborhood than the size of the home, and 77 percent of those surveyed want communities with high-quality schools.

The survey of 2,071 adult Americans was conducted by Belden, Russonello and Stewart from February 15-24, 2011.

The National Association of REALTORS®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

If the local chapter shares the opinion of the national organization, perhaps they need to re-think their endorsement.  I don't usually think of Hogan and Smart Growth in the same sentence.

http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/abel-harding/2011-02-04/mike-hogan-picks-backing-realtors (http://jacksonville.com/opinion/blog/403455/abel-harding/2011-02-04/mike-hogan-picks-backing-realtors)

QuoteMike Hogan picks up backing from realtors

Submitted by Abel Harding on February 4, 2011 - 6:20pmPolitiJax

He's picked up the backing of the area's most powerful builder's organization and now mayoral candidate Mike Hogan has landed the backing of realtors.

The Northeast Florida Association of Realtors said it was backing Duval County's Tax Collector this week, citing his business accumen.

“Jacksonville is facing big challenges and big opportunities,” association President Dane Leslie said in a release. “We need a leader with the experience and know-how to overcome challenges and seize the opportunities. Mike Hogan knows community, he knows business and he knows government. NEFAR is proud to support Mike Hogan and we look forward to a bright future for our city under his leadership.”

The 5,000-member group is made up of professionals from a myriad of real-estate-related industries.

For the record, not all Realtors are backing Hogan.  There is an Alvin Brown sign in my yard and a pin on my lapel.  Brown has the vision and the plan that Jacksonville needs right now.  Hogan is just more of the failed plans of the past.