Tips for Finding the Perfect Neighborhood
The neighborhood you choose can have a big
impact on your lifestyle—safety, available
amenities, and convenience all play their part.
1. Make a list of the activities—movies,
health club, church—you engage in regularly
and stores you visit frequently. See how far
you would have to travel from each neighborhood
you’re considering to engaging in your
most common activities.
2. Check out the school district. The Department
of Education in your town can probably provide
information on test scores, class size, percentage
of students who attend college, and special
enrichment programs. If you have school-age
children, also consider paying a visit to schools
in the neighborhoods you’re considering.
Even if you don’t have children, a house
in a good school district will be easier to
sell in the future.
3. Find out if the neighborhood is safe. Ask
the police department for neighborhood crime
statistics. Consider not only the number of
crimes but also the type—burglaries, armed
robberies—and the trend of increasing
or decreasing crime. Also, is crime centered
in only one part of the neighborhood, such as
near a retail area?
4. Determine if the neighborhood is economically
stable. Check with your local city economic
development office to see if income and property
values in the neighborhood are stable or rising.
What is the percentage of homes to apartments?
Apartments don’t necessarily diminish
value, but they do mean a more transient population.
Do you see vacant businesses or homes that have
been for sale for months?
5. See if you’ll make money. Ask a local
REALTOR? or call the local REALTOR? association
to get information about price appreciation
trends in the neighborhood. Although past performance
is no guarantee of future results, this information
may give you a sense of how good an investment
your home will be. A REALTOR? or the government
planning agency also may be able to tell you
about planned developments or other changes
in the neighborhood—like a new school
or highway—that might affect value.
6. See for yourself. Once you’ve narrowed
your focus to two or three neighborhoods, go
there, and walk around. Are homes tidy and well
maintained? Are streets quiet? Pick a warm day
if you can and chat with people working or playing
outside. Are they friendly? Are their children
to play with your family?
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