Community is a beautiful word. Not necessarily because it looks so pretty on paper or sounds so sweet rolling off the tongue but simply because of what it signifies. Connection. Inclusion. Association.
The definition of community is twofold. First: A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common. Second: A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
Our neighborhood is one community. Our city is another. Our state is another. And on a more existential level our community can often times dictate how we identify ourselves. For example, things we might have in common with other folks in the Grand Canyon state is the love of wide-open spaces. Commonalities for those living in Flagstaff might be passion for the outdoors, snow, and sun. From micro to macro the decisions we make on where to live impact our daily lives.
Perhaps similarly along the lines of how the brand and model of car is one way we might identify ourselves. Men and women who like Ford F-150s might have read the Millionaire Next Door – a terrific book if you are looking for something for book club – or more accurately might just need to haul some hay back to the ranch, or pack in some hunting gear and camp for the night or take a kayak to Lake Mary for the afternoon.
Buying into a community typically also implies buying into a certain lifestyle. Living in a neighborhood with a golf course might mean you enjoy hitting the links. Or it might simply mean that you appreciate the privacy that comes with the green and not having neighbors behind you. In our town the golf course communities come complete with restaurants, clubhouses, courts, and pools. They also come complete with homeowners associations.
In Northern Arizona we have many diverse lifestyles and communities. Some are equestrian with arenas and full bred horses. Some have parks like Thorpe or Bushmaster that appeal to all ages. Some have hiking and biking trails that venture into the forest, up the mountain or link to an urban trail. Regardless of what your American Dream looks like, there is a perfect community for you.
When working with buyers relocating to our Dark Sky city most have a sense, or list, of what they desire in a home and the lifestyle they seek. But it is all an educational process until finding the right fit. And typically, where we start is not where we end. It is easy to check the boxes and define three-bedroom, two-bathroom around 2,000 square feet. But the intangible of how a neighborhood feels is something that Zillow nor Trulia can provide. The sense of arriving while driving down the street for the first time to tour that perfect home is made complete by the surroundings – the idyllic street scene.
But underneath it all we are typically craving connection and looking to associate with people that are like us. Or whom we want to be like and associated with. They might have similar interests and hobbies. Some have equal socioeconomic status. Others have younger children while at the other end of the spectrum are the empty nesters. Connectivity comes in many different shapes and sizes and as humans we are programmed to seek companionship, comradery and create community. Our safe haven. Our sanctuary. Our oasis in the pines.
Like Laura Ingalls Wilder once said, “home is the nicest word there is.” [And community is the foundation where it is built.]
Text Lori