Ask a Smith Mountain Lake homeowner what they enjoy most about owning their home and the likely response is, “It’s mine.” That feeling of autonomy is a driving force behind purchasing real estate and extends into the homeowner’s community.
Homeowners enjoy living in their home for long periods of time and their home’s value is determined by the conditions of that location. This investment encourages them to have a stake in seeing their community thrive.
This sentiment is reflected in Homeownership and Volunteering: An Alternative Approach to Studying Social Inequality and Civic Engagement, a recently published study in The Sociological Forum. The study argues that homeowners have a stronger incentive to volunteer or raise money to improve neighborhood quality than do renters.
Talk to homeowners in your community about their volunteering efforts.