The Cul-de-sac Advantage

10/10/2006

Cul-de-sac (kul-dē-sak), the Oxford American Dictionary defines it as a street with an opening at one end only or a blind alley.  For real estate sellers, it is often imagined as a small circular road ringed by a few choice lots.  For property buyers, it is a private little corner of peace and exclusivity.

If you ask a real estate broker in the US for a tip on where it is better to buy a house, you could get an odd answer.  “Check the speed limit along the road that the property is facing.  The lower the speed limit, the better to buy.” Huh?!  However, the answer does make perfect sense. If you compare two similar houses in the same community, you may notice a higher value placed on the one located along a road less traveled, where speed limits are at the minimum.  In addition, it is these low speed limit roads in residential areas that traffic and security patrols monitor more often.  That illustrates the premium they put on privacy and safety.

Although getting a speeding ticket is rare here in our country (except of course on inspired days at the NLEX) and speed limit signs are hardly ever posted along minor roads, the point remains that there are advantages to buying property where vehicular traffic is low. Less traffic means the streets are safer for your kids and jogging need not be a harrowing experience. It is less worrisome to park on or back out of your driveway.  As a corollary, it means less noise, less dust, less pollution.

Some residential developments are already pressing forward on this concept, where safety is of the utmost concern.  In the past, developers enclosed subdivisions in order to manage traffic and security in residential areas.  Now, to augment the advantages of the gated zones, creative developers are employing specialized site lay-outs. Instead of the usual rectangular blocked development with linear through roads, Ayala Land’s Avida has applied the cul-de-sac concept in its new project in San Fernando, Pampanga.  Culs-de-sac differ from the usual streets by having a single entry serving a cluster of houses, provided with a loop at the end so vehicles can maneuver with ease.  This developer took it a step further by creating a park in the middle for a greener environment.  It is like a compound with your own private driveway that only those who live within and their guests would use. To optimize the potential of this idea, porches and terraces were integrated in front of the houses facing the park. The design fosters a sense of expansiveness and welcome, which is only possible in an environment of peace and privacy.

A cul-de-sac set-up such as this increases the margin of safety considerably.  Vehicular flow is controlled so that there is no point in speeding. Security situation improves since access to each cul-de-sac is limited and can be policed without difficulty.  Strangers would easily be spotted. A special sense of unity is likewise encouraged, with the residents being, as it is, a community within a community.

My brother’s house in Cleveland, Ohio is also in a cul-de-sac.  On a recent visit there, I was so pleased to see the kids from neighboring homes playing together.  It seemed like a beautiful spot to raise kids and a great place to build friendships.  That is also how I envision the Avida Pampanga development to be, an ideal place to raise a family, quiet, safe, and clean.