Just realized I was wrong about what makes a good neighborhood for years

I've been selling houses for a decade and always pushed the 'perfect' suburban cul-de-sac as the dream. Then, about six months ago, I sold a condo to a young couple in a busy part of the city, right above a cafe. They told me, 'We want the noise, we want to see people from our window, that's life to us.' It hit me that my whole idea of a quiet, isolated street was just my own bias. I was selling my idea of home, not listening to what actually makes people feel connected. I spent years thinking a good street was one with no traffic, but for a lot of folks, that just feels lonely. Now I ask different questions. Has anyone else had a big shift in what they think a community should feel like?

4 comments

4 Comments

miakelly1mo ago

Quiet streets can feel like a ghost town. Some people need the background hum of other humans to feel settled. Your old sales pitch was probably making a lot of buyers feel unseen.

sammoore1mo ago

My last three buyers specifically asked for dead-end streets.

paulw871mo ago

@sammoore It's not just about quiet, it's about safety and less traffic. Parents with young kids really push for that. Makes total sense when you think about it.

johnson.jesse1mo ago

Yeah, "background hum of other humans" is a great way to put it. I used to want total quiet, but now I get why that feels lonely to some folks.