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Trails are important to home buyers, survey shows

See the chart of priorities for features in new homes below:

From National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors

In April, 2002 a survey of of 2,000 recent home buyers was co-sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders and the National Association of Realtors. The survey asked about the "importance of community amenities," and trails came in second only to highway access. Those surveyed could check any number of the 18 amenities, and 36 percent picked walking, jogging or biking trails as either "important" or "very important." Sidewalks, parks, and playgrounds ranked next in importance.

Ranking much lower were ball fields, golf courses, and tennis courts. However, the home buyers indicated that price and home size were far more important than proximity to work, the city or schools. Given three statements to choose from, 62 percent indicated "the top concern was price," while 31 percent said that "finding a home in the right neighborhood was the top priority." Just 7 percent of respondents said that "being close to work and minimizing the commute was really important."

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