Looking to live where you can get out of your car more often? Before buying or renting your next place, review a few tips on how to research a walkable neighborhood. Even if it’s not possible to live in an area where you don’t need a car, there are neighborhoods where you can make multiple stops on foot and stroll or exercise through a well-populated urban setting. Here’s how to conduct your search.

Take a virtual walk online. If you’re out of town or far from the neighborhoods in question, start with an online tour. Google maps and Google Street View are just a couple of online ways you can get an up-close view of what’s nearby a specific address. Take note, however, you can’t be sure what time of day the images were captured, so a quiet looking street may not be that way all the time.

Watch for typical “Walkability” signs. Be on the lookout for landscape and signs that the neighborhood has invested in features that invite public enjoyment:

∙ Wide sidewalks, bicycle lanes, or walking paths
∙ Crosswalks and pedestrian signals
∙ Ample street lights for visibility
∙ Benches, sitting walls, public tables
∙ A gathering area such as a park or community square with a fountain
∙ Shade in the form of mature trees or covered areas

Visit at different times of day. No research substitutes being there in person. Plan to make several visits that include a weekday, evening, and weekend. Decide the best routes you’d take to work, recreation, and dining spots. Does it seem safe to walk alone or with a friend? And check on when places are open and closed to ensure hours match with yours. Your first-hand observation and the vibe you feel when in a neighborhood is the best test of whether it suits you.

Do a “Near Me” search when you’re in the neighborhood. Find out how close all your favorite dining spots and storefronts are to prospective housing options. The more dining spots that are close to one other, the more likely people will be walking the streets. Can you walk from your front door? Are their public transit options to where you want to go? If not, is there plenty of parking so you could walk around to multiple places once there?

Speak to the locals. While out and about in a prospective walkable area, open up a conversation with others about the best and worst things they’ve discovered while living there. For example, they might comment on traffic patterns, a seasonal event that locals love, or a possible commercial construction that could impact the community.

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