Even if you think you have found your dream home, the neighborhood should be examined just as closely as the home itself. Neighboring houses and business will have a huge affect on your lifestyle. Is the area increasing in homes pricing or decreasing? Are there good places to eat and play nearby? There exist numerous useful tools and apps to help with this but it is important to approach your research in a organized and hands on method.
Here are six steps to aid in researching a neighborhood.
- Clearly identify what you want from a neighborhood. Take some time identifying
the things that make a home and a neighborhood desirable to you. Know what you want and don't allow your desires to drowned out by a surplus of information. Despise
homeowners associations? Enjoy the security of a gated
community? Enjoy the prestige of an older home compared to a new model?
- Make an additional list of the things you need nearby, both
within walking distance and within reasonable driving
distance. How far are you willing to go to get to
school, sports facilities and parks, grocery shopping, and retail
centers? Would you feel bereft if you lived far away from a particular
type of restaurants or a convenient coffee shop?
- Investigate the reputation of nearby schools. If there’s a easy way to identifying a good
neighborhood, it’s a neighborhood with prestigious schools. Even if
you don’t have kids, good schools are indicators
of good neighborhoods. toRealtor.com says homes in good school
districts typically hold their value better than those in less highly
regarded districts, and a 2013 Redfin real estate company survey showed
Americans pay $50 per square foot more for homes in neighborhoods with
top-ranked schools.
- Consider transportation methods. Do you have easy access to a car, and
how much driving are you willing to do? Are you willing to sacrifice the
distance you drive to gain other home and neighborhood bonuses? Is public
transportation nearby for your family's convenience? Are the activities and resources you
frequent during a normal week nearby?
- Neighborhood search apps or websites can help narrow the field. Rating
and search tools work best for neighborhoods in urban areas with lots
of reviews, but you never know when you’ll find a thumbs-up or
thumbs-down that flags something that’s important to you.
TryNeighborhood Scout, Street Advisor, and Neighborhoods.
- View neighborhoods at multiple times of day and different days. Whether
you’re looking for an active, neighborly area or a peaceful refuge, the
only way to be sure what an area is like is to do some sleuthing in
person. Try to visit with a few of the residents, if anyone is out and
about, and ask what they like and dislike about the neighborhood. Check
or ask about problems like barking dogs and late-night noise.