Sure, pet friendliness, included-or-not utilities, a non-psychotic superintendent, and a dishwasher (the holy grail of apartment rental perks here in NYC) will always reign supreme when it comes to apartment hunt considerations. But an easy, low-carbon commute? Well, not always so much given that matters of square footage, lease terms, and whether or not there’s a Starbucks within a 2-mile radius dictate apartment hunts. It's not until later, after clocking in an ungodly amount on hours sitting in gridlock, that some apartment-dwellers realize that perhaps the allure of the washer and dryer or antique moldings wasn't worth it. 

 

Apartment Search, a nifty new tool released by the neighborhood walkability index gurus over at Walk Score, caters to apartment hunters who do give importance to an easy, breezy, low-impact commute whether it's by foot, bike, public transportation, and yes, car.

 

I gave Apartment Search a spin and it’s easy to use (although just looking at apartment listings gave me a sudden bout of anxiety). Simply type in your work or school address, your preferred mode of transportation, the desired Walk Score of a neighborhood, and the maximum amount of time you’d be willing to spend in-transit. From there, Apartment search pulls up apartment listings, via Craigslist, that match your criteria. If nothing shows, tweak as need be.  The listings themselves include commute time and the neighborhood’s specific Walk Score (remember, the higher the better) along with photos, neighborhood amenities, and other pertinent details like number of bedrooms, price, and all that good stuff.

 

Check out the demo of Walk Score’s Apartment Search below. Anyone out there scored a new place using Apartment Search?