Living behind the shop or above it was my favorite location, for certain, but I think I'm in a smaller minority on that. Not in a high rise, just the shops had living space behind and above them. That was a long time ago though, since then I've lived in detached houses and that's what we have now. I don't need a car but do have one still - I was lucky, my work moved from one business district to another and landed a mile from my house. They moved to make it more accessible to more employees but coincidentally made it very close to me. The old location, if my car was in the shop, could only be reached by bus by first riding downtown then getting a ticket on a bus run by the next city over, their express bus to our city had a stop at the old office, but in one direction you had to walk across, not kidding, an eight lane state highway. At a light so there was a crosswalk but still.

Maybe some people don’t want to live very restaurant. I feel like that would be one of the first choices rejected.

I am happy with my small house, small yard, walkable town.

• yard was big enough for toddlers to play, and parks are nearby for when kids got older
• yard is big enough for a nice deck and grill
• just enough separation that I’m Not disturbing anyone when my dog barks or I use power tools
• BASEMENT!!! the most important room of the house
• and yes, off street parking where I have my own charger is nice