Americans really have started to go to the dogs, it seems. The latest annual Dog Park Rankings from the Trust for Public Land is out, and it shows that parks for pets are becoming increasingly popular. In fact, thriving dog parks are coming to signify the most sought-after, dynamic communities and those communities with the most dog parks also have the most robust housing markets. Woof!
These housing markets are going to the dogs, in a good way
MarketWatch
According to the Dog Park Rankings from the Trust for Public Land…There are now 774 dog parks in the 100 biggest metro areas, a nearly 5% increase over last year and up 40% since the trust started keeping track, in 2009. “Dog parks are among the fastest-growing amenities in the 100 largest U.S. cities’ park systems — and the top cities may be surprising,” the trust wrote in its analysis.
Or not so surprising, if you believe housing-market attributes reflect people’s priorities, including man’s best friend…
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“With dog ownership on the rise in the U.S., it shouldn’t come as a surprise that home builders and local governments are increasingly providing dog parks for their residents. Dog parks may also play a role in helping sustain relative value in neighborhoods with them compared to those without.”
-Ralph McLaughlin, former chief economist with Trulia, in an interview with MarketWatch
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Daren Blomquist, senior vice president with real-estate data provider Attom Data Solutions, reviewed the trust’s annual report. He told MarketWatch,
“The cities with the highest density of dog parks are some of the most dynamic housing markets in the country. In the top 10, at least half of are in the top 50 for highest home-price increases, according to our data. Most are posting home-price appreciation faster than the national average. These markets are going places, and I think part of what is drawing people to these areas is the dog-friendly environment that they’re finding.”
Don’t have a dog park where you live? Why not partner with like-minded souls in your community and start the planning process. The Trust for Public Land suggests reading tips from a company that helps engineer dog parks and some best practices from the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
FIREPAW, Inc. 