My neighbors are usually pretty insular, limiting their contact to polite waves, but the housing crisis is having a positive social affect. Thanks to the economic angst, after 10 years on the block, I now know people's names.

This morning a group of neighbors were huddled at the corner, gossiping over the sale of a house on the next street for $150,000, a price not seen in this neighborhood for at least 20 years.

The son of the owner who died last winter sold it -- probably sight unseen -- to an investor who, at least in the good old days, would have slapped on a little paint, mulched the flower beds and made a fortune.

As a Cape Cod, MA native, I can't help but notice how badly market woes have beaten down real estate in many parts of the area. I've seen condos that sold in the $220,000 range a few years ago listed at $99,000.

I found a unit in Falmouth that is very inexpensive and sticks out as a possible investment property. I wasn't familiar with the address and, wanting to know about the neighborhood before I look any further, I Googled it: "Parker Road" in "Falmouth."

One the first page of matches, I found:

CARREIRO, Ronald J., Jr., 17, 35 Parker Road Apt. 5, East Falmouth; driving uninsured motor vehicle June 5 in Bourne, dismissed upon payment of $100 court cost; driving unregistered motor vehicle, no inspection sticker, not responsible; license plate violation to conceal identification, dismissed.

Winifred Moniz, 73, was found dead shortly after noon Monday in her home on John Parker Road. The victim's husband was mowing the lawn at the time of the alleged attack.

The search for the perfect investment property continues. Moral of story: Google the neighborhood before you buy!

Some day I would like to live in a neighborhood in which every daily need is within walking distance. In the era of $4 gas, I suspect many others share my ambition. A new Google-maps-based service, Walk Score, makes finding such a home much easier.

The utility allows you to input an address and reports back the distance to the closest theater, grocery, health club, restaurant, bar, library, and more. For example, I live .46 miles from the nearest coffee shop (I'm embarassed to admit I drive there most every day), one mile to the nearest bar, .23 miles from the nearest book store (a killer comics shop), and a mile to the nearest grocery. Looking at these numbers, I realize that I already live in a walkable community. I just need to put on my shoes and do it.

The service is of most use, of course, to those in the market for a new abode, especially when moving from a remote location. While the data is only as reliable as the Google input, for me it's about 90% accurate. The site also assigns a walkability score to the neighborhood; mine rates a 48 out of 100. What's yours?