The TDM Professional

Longer Commutes = Steep Drop In Housing Prices

NPR tells us (Home Prices Drop Most in Areas With Long Commutes, April 21, 2008, by Kathleen Schalach) that the real estate market is fairing better in areas with shorter commutes rather than those with the long drives into the city. Real estate experts say the trend is true here in the D.C. area as well as areas across the country. The conclusion. The longer the commute the steeper the drop in home values. Says one expert:

"Home buyers' attitudes have changed. The old rule was, "Drive 'til you qualify" - meaning they should go out from the city until they could get what they wanted at a price they could afford. Buyers are now asking different questions: "What is the cost of gasoline? What is the cost of my time?"

As a result, the experts say the market is responding. Over the last two years new construction on forest and farmland has dropped 70 percent while construction in town has held steady. Pushed by changing demographics, the trend is expected to continue. Says another expert:

"We don't live in the Ozzie and Harriet era anymore," Goldberg said. "We live more in the Seinfeld, Sex in the City era, in which young people find cities to be compelling."

Seems like demographics, congestion and energy prices are all having an effect on the housing market. I'm certainlly glad I live in town.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

America's Most Congested Cities

This week Forbes Magazine ranked America's most congested cities (America's Most Congested Cities, April 10, 2008, by Matt Woolsey). Guess what? We're #1! Oy. We seem to make progress and now we learn that by Forbes' index that takes into account the longest commuting times and the longest delays, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is the worst. The ranking:

                             Commutes Longer    Annual Hours
City                       Than 45 Minutes    Delay Per Person

1. Washington, D.C.             28.3%           60
2. Atlanta                            24.0%            60
3. Los Angeles                     19.0%            72
4. San Francisco                  24.0%            60
5. Houston                          17.3%            56
6. New York                         43.0%            43
7. Riverside-San Bernadino  23.0%             49
8. Chicago                           25.0%            46
9. Dallas                              16.5%            58
10. Boston                           20.0%            46

Says Forbes about our area:

"The D.C. Beltway is legendary for its ability to cause residents frustration. What has made things worse over the last few years is increased suburban sprawl. This has put additional stress on roadways, because very few of the area's new housing developments link up with the Washington metropolitan train system, which services the District of Columbia and immediate suburbs very well, but doesn't link up to most of the Virginia and Maryland population centers."

True enough. Guess we have a lot of work to do still.

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

This week Forbes Magazine ranked America's most congested cities (America's Most Congested Cities, April 10, 2008, by Matt Woolsey). Guess what? We're #1! Oy. We seem to make progress and now we learn that by Forbes' index that takes into account the longest commuting times and the longest delays, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is the worst. The ranking:

                             Commutes Longer    Annual Hours
City                       Than 45 Minutes    Delay Per Person

1. Washington, D.C.             28.3%           60
2. Atlanta                            24.0%            60
3. Los Angeles                     19.0%            72
4. San Francisco                  24.0%            60
5. Houston                          17.3%            56
6. New York                         43.0%            43
7. Riverside-San Bernadino  23.0%             49
8. Chicago                           25.0%            46
9. Dallas                              16.5%            58
10. Boston                           20.0%            46

Says Forbes about our area:

"The D.C. Beltway is legendary for its ability to cause residents frustration. What has made things worse over the last few years is increased suburban sprawl. This has put additional stress on roadways, because very few of the area's new housing developments link up with the Washington metropolitan train system, which services the District of Columbia and immediate suburbs very well, but doesn't link up to most of the Virginia and Maryland population centers."

True enough. Guess we have a lot of work to do still.