5 Ways to Use Grand Rapids Walk Score Ratings

One trend I’ve noticed in my career as a Grand Rapids real estate agent is that more and more people like to do some research online. Especially if you’re relocating to Grand Rapids or if you’re not familiar with the area, it’s nice to have a way to easily quantify and compare how you might like certain neighborhoods or homes. “ Walk score” is just one of the online tools that can provide useful information, whether or not you like to do a lot of walking.

“Walk score” is an attempt to quantify the walkability of a given neighborhood or address, but it also allows you to mine information about how easy it is to get around by car or bicycle as well. The score is driven by choice and proximity, so the more amenities (restaurants, movie theaters, schools) located nearby, the higher the Walk Score. You can type in any location on the walkscore.com website to get a 0-100 rating based on criteria like access to parks, public transportation, an established “city center,” nearby schools and jobs, and infrastructure.

In Grand Rapids, some of the downtown neighborhoods score pretty high on the walkability scale. And some convenient outlying areas score deceptively low. However, here are a few ways that you can use Walk Score when you search Grand Rapids real estate or when you are planning to sell your home:

1. To get a rough idea of your commute or proximity to public transportation. You can guess how much time you’ll be spending on commuting, determine which areas are a reasonable commute from your address, or even compare commutes.
2. To find the destinations that matter to you near your future address. Perhaps a nearby gym is important to you, or a friendly coffee shop. A certain address may have great walkability for restaurants and shopping, but not for parks and schools. You can estimate your quality of life at a certain address by zeroing in on the places that matter to you.
3. To compare two locations . If you’re deciding between a couple of neighborhoods or a couple of addresses, you can compare their Walk Score ratings or compare their maps to imagine how it would be different living in one location versus the other.
4. To estimate resale value . Some say that higher Walk Scores correlate with higher real estate values, although that might be easier to quantify in highly urbanized areas. If you’re selling your home or considering resale when purchasing your home, a very walkable area can be a plus.
5. To estimate bikeability . If you’re a biker, Walk Score can give you an idea of whether it is feasible to commute by bike, or where you may be able to bike near your future home.

Of course everyone has different priorities in how and where they want to live, and Walk Scoreshouldn’t be the only factor in finding a new home. And an outlying home may score low for walkability, yet may be the perfect walkable location for someone who enjoys walking her dog on a rural path. Whether you like to walk, bike, or ride, contact The Sprich Group and we can help you find a home that fits your lifestyle in Grand Rapids.

Photo: A Healthier Michigan ( some rights reserved )