Some real estate agents are winning new clients by showing up for property showings on their bicycles.
"With gas prices up, air quality down and saving the planet on everyone's mind, [real estate] agents across Canada and in the United States are scrapping cars, long considered a business necessity, to bike, walk and use public transit. And some are finding it's paying off as they fill a green niche with environmentally concerned clients.
Many clients gravitate to [cycling agents]...because they are similarly motivated. And cycling, [one agent] found, lends itself to selling houses. 'I can meet people at a house or we can bike together...It really is better to see a neighbourhood on a bike. You can assess the ambient atmosphere. You can smell the freshly cut grass in a park, and see if the residents smile at you.'
At open houses in Vancouver...bikes will often be piled up in front as would-be buyers check out the property....Some agents say this is a case of the real-estate industry catching up to the lifestyles of urban house hunters."
FULL STORY: Riding out the housing market
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Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie