Scott Polikov of Citiwire examines how the real estate market will respond to a changing world in which a sense of place is becoming increasingly important to developing a community.

A columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says that residential development that values density, easy transportation, and mixed-use neighborhoods is gaining ground in North Texas.

As more and more Americans look to ride around their neighborhoods on two wheels instead of four, real estate agents are seeing the value in giving clients tours by bike. (Wall Street Journal — Nancy Keates)

As the housing market reels from the credit crunch and energy crisis, the idea of living closer to the city in a slightly smaller house looks increasingly appealing. (Associated Press — Scott Lindlaw)

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Harvard urban economics professor Edward Glaeser argues that high gas prices prices could usher in a “wholesale change in the nature of American urban development.” (Wall Street Journal — Kelly Evans)

The combined effects of the housing crisis and fuel price explosion has made single-family units in far-off suburbia seem a lot less appealing, and the real estate market is feeling the heat. (Christian Science Monitor — Michael Farrell)

With the private sector in California responding emphatically to the state’s initiative encouraging new housing in urban areas, one journalist says that smart growth “appears to be getting smarter every day.” (Ventura County Star — Timm Herdt)

The numbers from Business Week back up what many of us already know — home prices near the center of big cities have stayed relatively stable, but homeowners in suburban or exurban communities are facing massive loss of value. (Business Week — Prashant Gopal)

Suburbs hit hard by foreclosures and fuel prices, while planners and developers are looking for ways to accommodate growing interest around urban centers. (Reuters — Helen Chernikoff)

Buyers “easing back” into the real estate market in Florida, but commute time becoming a big factor for many potential buyers. (Miami Herald — Monica Hatcher and Monika Leal)