Becoming a homeowner is a major accomplishment that takes a lot of financial dedication to save up enough money for a down payment and the other initial expenses. It takes even more work to continuously make payments for 15 to 30 years until you completely own the home. So, there is no reason to make sacrifices when it comes to how you want to live your life and buying a property. If you want to live comfortably without needing to own a vehicle, then you should prioritize specific qualities.

Friendliness to Walking and Biking

The easiest ways to get around are biking and walking. This is because you can exit your front door and start travelling to your destination. The cities that top the charts for walking are New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Philadelphia. Biking is a little different with cities like Portland, Minneapolis, and Seattle providing residents with the best opportunities for getting around on two wheels. An important thing to take away is that the higher population cities tend to fare well compared to low-pop cities or towns.

Public Transportation

The second easiest means to get around is through public transportation. For some trips, it is the only feasible way because you cannot expect to walk or bike an extremely long distance to get somewhere. Another detail to consider is the weather that you get throughout the year. A city like Chicago gets rather cold and snowy during winter, and this is when you will most appreciate public transportation. Overall, the cities that dominate this method of transportation are Washington, San Francisco, and Boston.

Size of the City

Another detail that you will want to consider is the size of the city. For the most part, cities like Phoenix, Houston, Oklahoma City, and Jacksonville cannot compete with these varied transportation options due to their size. It would cost an enormous amount of money to build infrastructure for thorough public transit. Also, since everything is so spread apart, biking and walking are not practical ways to get around.

A small city like Minneapolis, which is only 58 square miles in size, can invest in infrastructure for walking, biking, and public transportation much easier, faster, and at less of a cost compared to massive cities. So, if you want to live in the home forever, you may want to think about the future plans of each city.

When it comes to buying a house, not everything you want to pay attention to has to do with the house. Focusing on these qualities will help you find a place to buy a home that makes for easy car-free living.

For more information, contact local professionals like Exit Trinity Realty.