You’ve Found the House – Now What About the Neighborhood?

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It seems easy enough; spend some time looking at houses and when the right one comes along, the feeling is there and you just know you’ve found home. But there is more that you should consider when looking to buy a home and that is the neighborhood.

There is a lot to be said about neighborhood dynamics and your best chance to be sure you’ve picked the right one is before you’ve signed any paperwork.

Here are some things you can do to scope out the neighborhood:

Drive by at various times of the day and evening. This will allow you to see the area in different angles and show you the dynamics and environment you can expect once you move in.

Stop and meet with neighbors. You will learn about the neighbors, get a feel for the atmosphere and attitudes of most people living nearby and also you can find out if there are any interesting nuances to be aware of in the neighborhood.

Investigate the crime reports by visiting websites that share that and other important market data. Also talk to neighbors to find out how they like living there.

Visit area schools if applicable to you and learn of the programs offered by them or community centers nearby.

Drive around and familiarize yourself with the nearest commercial areas. This will allow you to estimate the length of drives you will need to go on to get various things done (nearest grocery store, post office, police and fire departments, etc.).

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Though an appraiser will share a report with you about the tangible aspects of the value of your prospective home, nothing surpasses the feeling you have when you are in the right neighborhood, among its community members.
As always, for any of your real estate needs, we invite you to contact us and we will be glad to assist you!