Suburbia Observed

Higher density is still a tough sell. What homebuyers want often is not what they get—usually because they cannot find the type of home they want.

1 minute read

August 12, 2000, 7:30 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


What homebuyers want often is not what they get—usually because they cannot find the type of home they want in their market. A survey of 2,000 recent buyers of both new and resale homes sought not only to identify what homebuyers want and what kinds of communities appeal to them, but also to explore the gaps between what homebuyers want and what currently is available. The survey, by American LIVES, Inc., a California-based market research firm, compared homebuyers of master-planned communities, buyers of new construction homes, and buyers of resale homes, as well as the demographics of buyers. Natural open space, walking and biking paths, and sidewalks were at the top of the amenities list of the homebuyers sampled from Florida, Arizona, California (both the San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles areas), Texas (Houston and Dallas areas), and Colorado. The same items that topped the list in a similar 1995 survey, these amenities were the ones that appealed to all survey respondents, regardless of what type of home they bought or what kind of community they currently live in.

Thanks to Urban Land Magazine

Monday, July 31, 2000 in Urban Land Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

May 19 - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

May 19 - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

May 19 - American Community Media

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.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.