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
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie