Ever hear of the Starbucks or Whole Foods real estate effect?
Major retailers spend a lot of time and money researching up and coming neighborhoods in city like Seattle. Purchasing a home near a future site of a retailer that caters to a deeper-pocket clientele should help increase the value of your home over the long-term compared to a home in a similar neighborhood without one. Many people do make home purchasing decisions based on the accessibility (or walkability) to their favorite retailers.
Here is a great article regarding this real estate effect.