You're looking for the perfect neighborhood for your new home. How do you find it? if you're not quite sure what to look for you've come to the right place, because right now I'm going to run
down a list of things and tell you exactly what you should do. You've heard real estate is all about location, location, location. But there's more, a lot more, to consider, like safety.
How To Choose The Perfect Neighborhood Tips:
1 Safety2 Schools
3 Commute
4 Neighborhood Amenities
5 Property Values
Safety:
It's one of the top things you should look into, especially if you have children. So you want to research crime rates. There are several websites that report crime rates, sometimes by ZIP code, or you can check with a local police department or the city website. These days there's some level of crime just about everywhere, so you might not be able to find a completely crime-free area. But if your research shows a high level of criminal activity that's a red flag. You should also take a ride through the neighborhood at different times of day. Is there a Neighborhood Watch program? Look for the street signs. Neighborhood Watch can be a deterrent for the bad guys.
Also is there good street lighting?
That can help you feel safer. And talk to people. If you see neighbors working in the yard or taking a walk, stop and say hello, Ask them about the neighborhood and ask if they feel safe or if crime is an issue. It's a good idea to spend some time in the neighborhood
you're considering ,Do you get a good vibe?
Keep in mind if you're working with a realtor they're limited as to what they can say about how safe a neighborhood might be. Real estate agents have to be careful not to violate the Fair Housing Act, so you should do the research yourself.
Schools:
are something else that's important to check out even if you don't have children, and I'm going to tell you why. But if you do have children, or if you're planning a family, a good school district is one of the top priorities when you're looking for the perfect neighborhood. So how do you determine if a school or school district is good? You can start your research online. Great Schools, public school review, Niche, and schooldigger. com are great websites. You can find out how test scores compare with state averages, year-over-year academic Improvement, enrollment trends, and student-to-teacher ratio. find out about graduation rates. if your child does well in a lot of classes you might want to see if the school district has advanced
classes or college level courses. and what about extracurricular activities?
Music, drama, media, and sports. Does the school district have funding for specific athletic programs So ,why is that all important if you don't have children? Two words: resale value. Even if you don't have kids in school, when it comes time to sell that house, potential buyers will want to move their families into a neighborhood with good schools. And that can increase the value of your home. By the way, if you're finding this information helpful, and like this Post. That'll let me know you want to see more content like this. Now back to it. When you're looking for that perfect neighborhood you'll also want to check out your commute. Where you work in relation to where you live live is a.
Commute:
big deal, especially if you're looking for a short commute. Did you know the average commute time in the U. S. is just under 30 minutes each way? It's like more than 300 hours a year, or two weeks of your life commuting. So think about that when you're looking for a new home. And if you want to use public transportation you'll want to check out the options. Something else to consider: the closest grocery store and pharmacy. Whether you need to run out and get a gallon of milk, or a car load of groceries, or
if you need that prescription filled, how convenient will it be?
If they're not close, or at least on your way to work, are you going to dread running errands for those everyday necessities And what kind of restaurants are in the area Everybody likes to eat out, right ? So it might be nice to have some of your favorite restaurants nearby. By the way, a good indication that a neighborhood is trending in a positive direction, look for hot hangouts like Starbucks in the area. Places like that do a lot of local market research before they set up shop. Also are there nearby by Parks and Recreation areas? Are they walking distance,
Neighborhood Amenities:
or a short drive away? What about walking trails, or does the neighborhood have sidewalks? Is there a place to take your dog for a walk? Another consideration: if there's an HOA. Some homeowners
associations really do a good job of maintaining the standards of the neighborhood. Some HOA fees can be expensive, so check that out. And a lot of people just don't want to live in a neighborhood with an HOA. And when you're looking for the perfect neighborhood it's a good idea to check.
Property Values:
property values. And check the sales price trends over the years. You'll want to find a place where home prices are appreciating and you can expect the value of your home to continue to increase in the future. Take time to check out that neighborhood. Visit several times on different days of the week and different times of day and night so you can see for yourself what the traffic is like, and if the neighborhood gets noisy.
Can you hear airplanes flying overhead? Loud music? It's all part of the puzzle when you're trying to put all this information together to find that perfect neighborhood for your new home. And by the way, the same features that make a neighborhood desirable can also increase demand and prices, so keep that in mind. And one more thing. Be sure to for more real estate information and Read this Post next.