vitality & value.
new urbanism

Making the choice to live at Prairie Trail offers myriad small-town perks. Children can run and play at numerous parks, large and small. Friends wave from their front porches. Neighborhoods are designed for leisurely walking. Small shops are handy for easy access to coffee shops, restaurants, and small boutiques. Schools, a library, and a water park are close at hand, necessary and fun musts for busy families.

In addition, there’s a mix of age ranges, from first-time buyers to young families to empty nesters. That mix is what a community is all about.

Plus, according to national experts, living at Prairie Trail is a great real estate investment. Mind you, this is not suburbia. Real estate and housing consultants such as Todd Zimmerman of Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc., in Clinton, New Jersey, say that traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) are maintaining their salability more than many typical suburban developments.

It’s no secret that the real estate market has taken some serious hits during the recent economic downturn. The good news, however, is that many TNDs around the country, such as Prairie Trail, are holding steady and even increasing in value.

“When you’re selling suburbia, you’re often selling exclusivity and privacy. In many markets, homeowners in suburbia often drive a long way to get away from city surroundings,” Zimmerman explains. “When you live in an area such as Prairie Trail in Ankeny, you choose to have open neighborhoods and a friendly feel. You choose to be part of a neighborhood and a community, not to be exclusive from it.”

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building community.

Zimmerman says that with the neighborhood developments, “You are creating community with each building that is constructed, and I think that spirit will stick and will continue to grow. That’s why this concept is becoming so popular.”

Indeed, he says, the real estate market downswing hit everyone in all parts of the country. “A rising tide raises all boats, and a lowering tide lowers all boats. That’s how it is in real estate, so it’s not an across-the-board situation in every market.”

Areas like Prairie Trail, he says, appeal to those wanting to participate, to take walks and chat with neighbors, to have their kids playing in the neighborhoods and in the variety of parks.

“I do believe that, as the economy comes back, a sense of community will be even more important to owners,” Zimmerman explains. “We are in an unprecedented time in U.S. history. There are so many empty nesters and retirees, the baby boomers, and a huge group of ‘millennials’ just leaving home.”

He says the big concern for consumers is this: Will my home hold its value? “Buying in a mixed-use, walkable area like Prairie Trail, compared to the same house with the same size in a suburban area, will help ensure that it will indeed hold its value.”

Plus, according to New Urban News magazine, the TND communities usually are diversified in their housing choices, with a spectrum extending from young singles and professionals to independent living for seniors. As one expert observed, “These communities offer a whole fruit cart, whereas suburban neighborhoods offer an apple cart or an orange cart, with only one type of housing.”

John Anderson, an architect and urban designer in Chico, California, has been working with traditional neighborhoods for many years. “Neighborhoods period, whether they were built in 1909 or 2009, hold their value. If kids can walk to school safely and you can get a good cup of coffee without going too far, then the area generally holds its value.”

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history & vision :: time line :: master plan :: new urbanism