The American dream is changing, and real estate professionals are doing their best to keep up in order to sell homes. Many buyers still want a big house in an uncrowded neighborhood, especially if they have a family, but there are conditions attached now. Long commutes into the city are more of a deal breaker now than ever before, and areas without a nearby business community, parks infrastructure, or future-proof layout are generating less interest. Realtors working in the suburbs must now learn to identify and market smart growth, and a well-rounded lifestyle, as well as the old ideals of comfort and privacy.
Soaring gas prices have made the suburban commute a tough sell, but rail lines are a cheap solution in many metro areas. Cities with long-established commuter rails have upgraded their routes to accommodate growth, while cities that expanded rapidly during the mid-20th century are building new commuter lines. One example of a large center with a newer commuter line is Vancouver, BC, Canada, where an extensive line called the West Coast Express opened in 1995. An area like suburban New Jersey offers well-established commuter railways, but here too the traditional...