Post submitted by KSKC Project Design Manager McGregor Jordan. 
When you are planning for your future, especially when real estate is involved, long term trends should be a very important consideration. Nobody wants to buy a home in a future ghetto or design a space that is destined to be outdated in a few years. So here are my two cents on a major trend I see for the future of Charleston…PEOPLE ARE MOVING BACK IN TOWN!
As gas prices rise and people become generally more conscious of their carbon footprints and energy consumption, so rises the desire to live nearer the heart of town. No longer do you need a car to shop, or commute, and you won’t even need a treadmill to go for a walk. This has been a national trend for a while, especially since gas prices hit $4.50/gallon two summers ago, but here in Charleston we have more reason to expect this trend to really take off. We have critical mass on our side! FYI – critical mass is that point at which enough people get on board with an idea that the idea takes on a life of its own and begins to spread under its own power.
Let me explain how this works for us here in Charleston. As more people move downtown, or at least closer to it, more downtown business can be sustained. As more people move in and more business continue to open we eventually reach a point at which you can fulfill all your daily needs without being forced to leave the part of town in which you live. As more people bear witness to this type of lifestyle the trend really takes on a life of its own. We have certainly reached this critical mass point here. If you keep your eye open it is evident in almost every part of downtown – just look at the diversity of businesses, reemergence of corner stores, abundance of entertainment and recreation, density of interesting people walking the sidewalks, empty houses being restored, empty lots being developed, etc. etc.
So how does this affect your decisions? Impact your path through life? Well here are a few ideas...
I would consider planning a home in a part of town with higher density, and design your home to accommodate an increase in density in the coming years. If you are building or renovating seek out designers and architects who understand and emphasize efficient use of space, and energy efficiency. Consider lots and home sizes that are slightly smaller than that fantasy mansion you dreamed of as a child {click here to read recent post "The Incredible Shrinking House"}. Perhaps that will give you a better idea of what your real fantasy home might look like. After all the best home for you and your family might not be that same old home concept that has been advertised to us for so many years….
