I’m going to focus on three things in today’s post. First, underscore that there are many wonderful, different kinds of places around the country. Second, encourage you to share what makes your area special. And finally, make the point that people…love…lists!

Whether it’s a late show comedy “top 10,” college football standings, school scores or real estate rankings, we’re all used to processing information through lists. Seeing the “best” or even “worst” can help us form opinions or make decisions.

And boy, have real estate writers taken this concept and run with it. So here’s a list of…well…recent real estate lists! We are seeing these come through more and more everyday, and they get at how complex the real estate market and how real estate is very local in nature:

• The least and most expensive cities for living in the USA
• Ten great cities for young adults
• America’s most unusual planned communities
• Top ten cities for retirement property steals
• Best cities for singles
• Recession-proof cities

Do you find lists like these valuable? What kinds of real estate rankings or lists do you find most interesting or helpful? And feel free to chime in with what makes your market special. If you think about your hometown, what list would it top?

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Crysti