Home Size Less Important Than Other Factors

Washington, DC, April 5, 2011 -- Americans favor walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods, with 56% of respondents preferring smart growth neighborhoods over neighborhoods that require more driving between home, work and recreation.

That's according to a recent study, the Community Preference Survey, by the National Association of Realtors.

Among other things, the survey revealed that while space is important to home buyers, many are willing to sacrifice square footage for less driving.

Eighty% of those surveyed would prefer to live in a single-family, detached home as long as it didn't require a longer commute, but nearly three out of five of those surveyed -- 59% -- would choose a smaller home if it meant a commute time of 20 minutes or less.

The survey also found that community characteristics are very important to most people. When considering a home purchase, 88% of respondents placed more value on the quality of the neighborhood than the size of the home.