Research shows that homes near a park have an 8% to 20% higher valuation than other properties

Want to know the impact on home values after carving out some green space in an area, adding park benches and perhaps a playground with grass and shrubbery?

It's major.

Anyone interested in parks or real estate would be smart to pay attention to these statistics.

Because here's the big benefit of this research. If you need to get approval for new parkland or to upgrade a park, be sure to show these statistics to homeowners in the area. And be sure to get them to turn out at city budget meetings to support expenditures for more parks.

Several studies have found that

Park benches have a certain magnetic quality about the

There seems to be a certain charm about a park bench when it comes to bringing folks together. And when checking out park benches for sale, think about the type of bench, but also the people who will be sitting on those planks as well.

Park benches have a magnetic allure that is conducive to one person engaging with another - whether it's in a deep conversation with a friend or an first-time talk with a complete stranger.

This was very evident in a recent project conducted by Neighborhoods Inc., a non-profit organization in Northwest Indiana.

To help foster the interaction of people in their community, the organizers placed a park bench in front of 22 homes in a town of about 30,000 people. They included a sign that read, "Please have a seat."

Their efforts were effective. People now had a reason to stop and chat with the home owner or others in the area.

Neighbors, strollers, joggers, school