Why you should care about Zip Car

Zip Car is the name of a car sharing service. For a fixed monthly fee, Zip Car subscribers have guaranteed use of a car. For their monthly fee, subscribers can reserve a car on line, and pick it up at various conveniently sited locations. Cars are located in neighborhoods throughout a city; say in the parking lot of a supermarket or transit center. Once you’ve paid for a monthly subscription, the only cost is for the gas you use. Insurance, maintain ace, tabs, etc. are included in the monthly subscription cost. In some ways, this is the best of both worlds; you have access to a newer car when you need it, without the headaches and all the expenses of owning your own car.

When you think about it, given how car-centric we are as a country, car sharing is a quietly radical idea. Five years ago, you probably never heard of Zip Car, or for that matter, urban farmers markets, 100-mile menu sourcing, and walk scores. Now, at least in larger cities, these things are all ubiquitous. When seen individually, these might seem like random data points, not really connected to anything. When seen collectively, however, they paint a far different picture.

So, back to Zip car and why it matters, these are all indications of a changing American lifestyle and preferences. In a sense, the chicken and the egg. Not being tied to a car, not needing one every day frees you up your housing choices, allowing you to live in a denser neighborhood, where you don’t necessarily need car for trips to the store etc.

You see, ultimately, the real estate market (your real estate market) is just a reflection of America.  America has grown and changed over the last century and houses and housing patterns reflect this. At the turn of the 19th century somewhere around 60% of the population lived on and worked on farms. Transportation consisted of walking or horses. How things have changed!

BuildSmart can help you navigate the changes in the housing market and help you make decisions that will add value to your home, whether you are remodeling, buying a distressed property or contemplating a renovation. Call us today.