Dorothy, at the front desk over at LA Fitness, mentioned to me that she was going to start riding her bike to work. In chatting with her, I realized that she didn’t know that she would have bike path access almost the whole way from her home in Tempe to McCormick Ranch in Scottsdale. I printed out a section of the bike map to take in and share with her today, and thought it was worth reminding you where these excellent biking resources are on-line.
The Scottsdale bike path that runs along Hayden Road from North to South Scottsdale is wide and fast. It goes under and over main thoroughfares, with only a few intersections to cross. Rolling through golf courses and green belt, it’s a pretty ride, too. Now that our weather is cooling off, it’s a perfect time to get out, and even start thinking about riding your bike to work.
My mind wandered a bit this morning. I have a question for you? Is it possible to:
Show homes and buy real estate on a bike?
I’ve been reading about Realtors who show houses to their biking clients on their preferred mode of transportation. Interesting to consider. What do you think? I’d certainly be game to try!
Here are a few Realtors mixing real estate and biking around the U.S. and Canada:
- Realtors peddle real estate to bike-happy clients
- Specializing in homes for cyclists & alt commuters! - Portland, Oregon
-
Pedal to Properties – Boulder, Colorado
-
A lifestyle shift – riding a bike – Charlotte, North Carolina
-
Buy a Home on a Bike (Denver) - Denver, Colorado
(Realtors, if I missed you this list, just let me know and I’ll update.)
{ 1 trackback }
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
RT {Great} Post @drubloomfield!: Bike to Work? It?s possible in Scottsdale. Sell real estate? Hum? http://is.gd/4fqt
Blog Post: Bike to Work? It?s possible in Scottsdale. Sell real estate? Hum? http://is.gd/4fqt
I know Matt & Chris at Pedal to Properties personally. They have a fantastic business model, and give great service both to their clients AND the community by making more than 40 P2P bikes available throughout the community.
Conscious commuting is not only good for people’s health and the environment — It can also save thousands of dollars a year in unnecessary commuting costs, as well as add hundreds of hours per year in quality time (unless you count sitting in traffic “quality time”)
Given the fact that more and more home buyers are starting to think more about “conscious commuting”, there couldn’t be a better time for such a business model.
I’ve found that riding my bike around my market has put me in touch with with the market much better than driving a car –
- Clients who are interested in biking to work know that I have first-hand experience with biking around – and that’s important to them.
- I’m able to interact with friends and clients and strangers versus waving from a car
- I smell great foods wafting about neighborhoods
- I see gardens and unrepresented sellers’ signs
- I save gas and have lost a few pounds to boot!
- I’m setting an example for my kids and others
(PS – I’m in Charlottesville, Virginia)
Although I haven’t started showing properties while on my bike, I do use my bike to take care of daily tasks like previewing, dropping off lockboxes, taking pictures of new listings, taking pix for blogs about neighborhoods, going to settlements, etc.
(PS – I’m in Loudoun County, Virginia)
Like Jim and Tony, I’ve started using the bike for days where I’ve got simple tasks to accomplish. I don’t think I’ve used it as a commute to and from a showing yet, although I’ll likely start doing that in the spring. In the meantime, it’s a nice way to see the community I live and work in.
Jim’s right – it gives you a different sense of what’s happening in your marketplace, and makes some of the connections a little more personal. I had a streak – if you can call it that – of three straight days riding, and saw the same guy watering his lawn each day. Day two he called out and waved, day three he invited me to stop and we shared a cup of coffee. Come to find out, he’s moving next year and wants to talk in the coming months.
More important than the bottom line though, it’s a good thing to do. Companies like Pedal 2 Properties, or others you’ve highlighted above, are just putting it into practice.
Since it seems the thing to do …
(PS – I’m in Blacksburg, VA)
I ride my bike (both mountain and road) a lot, but have never considered riding with a client and showing homes. I think in South Central Scottsdale it would be very doable, given how flat it is, and how many bike paths there are. It’s really quite bike friendly.
Personally, I’d need to invest in a clipless platform for my bikes, so I wouldn’t need cycling shows when showing homes, but that’s a minor problem. If I found a client that wanted to ride and look, I’d be ALL OVER the opportunity. As I like to say, there’s never a bad day spent on a bike.
PS- It’s funny you write about the greenbelt, and riding it on Saturday…did you see this iPhone photo I took Saturday morning from my bike:
http://www.mysidedoor.com/2008/10/18/mccormick-ranch-greembelt/
Cost of Commuting – You have a very interesting web site. A great way to help people understand the economics of their travel choices.
Jim, Tony, and Jeremy – Is it coincidental that you are all located in Virginia? Thanks for sharing how you use your bikes for real estate. I know I can expand my bike use and you’ve given me a few more ideas. Thanks!
Steve – Scottsdale is spread out pretty far north and south, so we have a challenge or two. At the same time, the City of Scottsdale has created a fabulous network of bike paths and lanes, so it’s pretty easy to get around. We’ll have to brainstorm a bit more.