Thumbs Down On Suburban Life
- January 21st, 2008
- Posted by EUEditor
If Belgium home of Europe’s “capital†is a litmus test, more Europeans are wanting to go back to the old way of living right in the heart of town.
A straw poll by Flanders News this week tells that respondents mostly favoured the idea of living in the centre of a city or large town, with the second preference going to the countryside – and suburban houses coming in only third.
Reasons given include reduced road traffic in the city heart, compared with the suburbs.
Rising real estate prices are as big a disincentive as in many countries.
While houses have gone up three times in value over ten years, now typically costing €400 000 (A$664 000; dcerates.com, 21.1.08), and apartments have doubled; the sentiment seems to be, that if you have to pay too much, it is better to do so in the inner-city heart — or go right out of town altogether.
Reference:
Flanders News, “City life is the maxâ€, 21.1.08. www.flandersnews.be, (21.1.08).