HOME
Commuting – the bane of our workweek! For many Americans, commute times or public transportation options figure strongly in their home-buying decisions. This field guide offers statistics, articles, and even alternatives to mind-numbing rush hours.
Commuting Issues
A commute too far, (Wall Street Journal, Apr. 3, 2011).
The killer commute, (REALTOR® Magazine Online, Mar. 2011).
Suburb vs. Exurb; Is it better to buy a home in a close-in suburb or a newer house farther away from the city, (Wall Street Journal, Dec. 17, 2010).
'Transit’ Housing Back on Track, (New York Times, June 9, 2010).
Travel swells cost of housing, (Boston Globe, Apr. 12, 2010)
Cheap home may mean a costly commute, (MSN Real Estate, Apr. 2, 2010)
Combination of housing and commuting costs pinch homeowners, (Builder Online, Feb. 10, 2009).
Commuting & Where to Live
Home prices: 5 factors prospective U.S. home buyers should consider, (International Business Times, Sept. 9, 2011)
An ecological calculator to help make your home-buying decision, (Washington Post, Apr. 1, 2011).
Housing + Transportation affordability index, (Center for Neighborhood Technology, Mar. 2010)—Transportation costs of 337 metro areas.
Transit’ Housing Back on Track, (New York Times, June 9, 2010)
Cheap home may mean a costly commute, (MSN Real Estate, Apr. 2, 2010)
Home buyers demand short commutes, efficient homes, (The Oil Drum, Dec. 6, 2008).
Transit-oriented developments, (On Common Ground, NAR Govt. Affairs, Winter 2008).
Home prices drop most in areas with long commute, (National Public Radio, Apr. 21, 2008).
How your commuting costs (should) affect your home buying decisions, (American Chronicle, Jan. 19, 2008).
Green Commuting
Telecommuting and flexible jobs are good for the environment, (San Francisco Chronicle, Apr. 4, 2011)
Would You Take a Pay Cut to Telecommute? (PC World, Apr. 5, 2011)
6 Myths About Commuting By Bicycle, (U.S. News, May 15, 2008).
Save the environment, one commute at a time, (MSNBC.com, Apr. 26, 2008).
Eco-paradox: Green homes, gas-guzzling commutes, (WSJ.com, Feb. 18, 2008).
Transportation becomes architecture in MIT's city car, (MIT Center for Real Estate, Oct. 9, 2007).
Tips to save gas and improve mileage, (Houston Association of REALTORS®).
Green your commute, (Monster.com).
Statistics, Reports, Studies
Transit access and zero-vehicle households, (Brookings Institution, Aug. 2011)
The 2011 Community Preference Survey—What Americans are looking for when deciding where to live, (National Association of REALTORS®, Apr. 2011).
2010 Annual Report - 100 Most Congested Metro Summary, (INRIX, Mar. 2011).
2010 Annual Urban Mobility Report, (Texas A&M, Dec. 2010).
Challenges and Policy Options for Creating and Preserving Affordable Housing near Transit and in Other Location-Efficient Areas, (Center for Housing Policy, Dec. 2010)
Maintaining Diversity in America’s Transit-Rich Neighborhoods, (Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, Oct. 2010).
Penny wise, pound fuelish, New measures of housing + transportation affordability, (Center for Transit Oriented Development , March 2010).
Travel Behavior among Latino Immigrants: The Role of Ethnic Neighborhoods and Ethnic Employment, (University of Southern California, 2010).
100 Most congested cities, (Forbes.com, Feb. 25, 2009).
Best workplaces for commuters, (Department of Transportation, Aug. 2008).
Commuting to opportunity: the working poor and commuting in the United States, (Brookings Institution, Mar. 14, 2008).
Commuting in America III, (Transportation Research Board, Nov/Dec. 2006)—Third Nat. Report on Commuting Patterns & Trends
Commuting Websites
The true cost of driving, (Commute Solutions.org)—Commuting calculator
Public Transportation Savings Calculator. (Public Transportation.org)
Housing + Transportation Affordability Index. (Center for Neighborhood Technology)
Commuting expense calculator. (Automated Home Finder).
Walk Score, (WalkScore.com)—Find out how "walkable" your home is
U.S. Local & State Transit Links. (American Public Transportation Association).
Commuter choice primer. (U.S. Department of Transportation)—An Employer's Guide to Implementing Effective Commuter Choice Programs
Commuter Choice Brochure. (U.S. Department of Transportation) —Addresses commuting's impact on communities and businesses
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following ebooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Will Work from Home (Adobe PDF eBook)
The 30-second commute (Adobe eReader)
Have an Idea for a New Field Guide?
Click here to send us your suggestions.
The inclusion of links on this field guide does not imply endorsement by the National Association of REALTORS®. NAR makes no representations about whether the content of any external sites which may be linked in this field guide complies with state or federal laws or regulations or with applicable NAR policies. These links are provided for your convenience only and you rely on them at your own risk.