When you think of Texas, many things come to mind – the size, the oil, the sun etc. One thing that SHOULD come to mind is the roads. Texas is of course very big, with many roads. Texans by their very nature are drivers; you kind of have to be. We love the open road. Isn’t that the American way though? The Texan lust for driving, however, is changing; due to new technologies and changing social demographics, such as the Millennials, Texans are consistently reducing the number of miles they drive.

In this Tpr.org article, Sara Smith, the program director for the Texas Public Interest Research Group, has this to say, “Since 2005 we’ve seen a 10 percent drop in the number of miles that people have traveled, and since the peak year in 1999 we’ve seen a 13 percent drop.” It is expected that mileage spent driving will continue to decrease, as vehicle sharing services and biking are rapidly increasing in popularity. Many are doing away with cars altogether, relying more and more on the financially efficient and environmentally friendly bicycle. You can see this in Dallas and Fort Worth.

It’s crazy to think that there are those living in Texas who don’t see the need for a car, but as cities and neighborhoods continue to experience this recent Texas boom, they are undergoing much transformation. People all across the country are becoming more neighborhood-oriented, choosing to work and live in relative proximity. This leads to a greater sense of community. In other words, there is no escape. Younger people, the Millennials, don’t necessarily relish driving a long distance to get to work. They want to be near friends, local businesses, an actual neighborhood etc.

The question is what does this mean for houses? As discussed in previous posts, Texas is undergoing a real estate boom, as bidding wars occur on a daily basis. Texans are craving houses like never before. They are also craving neighborhoods and the feeling of community. They want houses to mirror this sentiment – a more welcoming presence, that is. Whenever trends and preferences change, homes change right alongside them. do houses.

At Crown Exteriors, we pay close attention to what people want. It’s what we do. The less people drive, the more there’ll be at home, so every inch of the home must be to satisfaction. That’s where we come in!

*Image courtesy of luciano de polo