Because it’s been high on the list of ‘must have’ features of nearly every buyer I’ve worked with in recent years, and I can’t imagine doing without it myself, I touched on that subject in a blog post last April
And now an article in today’s Wall Street Journal takes it a step further; citing studies showing that homes without high speed internet service are increasingly tougher to sell and sell for less $$ than those with high speed connections. Which makes perfect sense to me – less demand = tougher sale = less $$.
From WSJ.com
How Fast Internet Affects Home Prices
In May, Kara Burke and Tom Cairns thought they had found their ideal house: a nicely-updated older three-bedroom home in Worthington, Mass.
But they didn’t make an offer because it didn’t have high speed Internet.
“We wouldn’t choose a house that didn’t have electricity,” Ms. Burke, 26 years old, said as she explained why. “It’s right on par with those things.”
As the Internet becomes central to the way Americans work and live, the digital divide is taking on greater economic significance. Students without Internet access at home may struggle to keep up with school assignments. Towns with less access find themselves falling behind economically, researchers say. Now, the availability of speedy Internet service is starting to affect Americans’ biggest purchase: their homes.
Real-estate agents across the country say more buyers like Ms. Burke and Mr. Cairns are turning their noses up at homes without fast Web access. Some studies suggest those buyers are having a keen effect on home prices. A nationwide study released on Monday by researchers at the University of Colorado and Carnegie Mellon University finds fiber-optic connections, the fastest type of high speed Internet available, can add $5,437 to the price of a $175,000 home—about as much as a fireplace, or half the value of a bathroom.
Continue reading - How Fast Internet Affects Home Prices
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The Tucson MLS listing sheet contains the category; Cable Available - Yes or No.
And it is not uncommon to find it is marked Yes, that cable is available, when in fact it is not. Though, perhaps it’s a matter of interpretation. Is DSL Cable, is Satellite tv/internet cable, is dial-up from a phone wire cable. No, none of those are cable. Cable, as it’s commonly understood, is the coaxial cable that Comcast or Cox Cable delivers to your front door to transmit cable tv and high speed internet access. (as far as I know Verizon’s FIOS and Google fiber are not yet available in the foothills) Though, Simply Bits may provide a viable alternative.
But the only game in town in the Catalina Foothills for actual cable access is Comcast. (Cox serves other parts of Tucson). And if having cable is important to you, you should call Comcast or go to their website to check whether they provide service to the home you are considering.
see TheFoothillsToday.com
to find your very own Catalina Foothills Home
