Tips for Choosing The Right Neighborhood

You can’t choose your family, but you can choose your neighborhood. Finding your dream house before researching the neighborhood is like putting the cart before the horse. By doing a little detective work, you can fit your neighborhood to your lifestyle and you don’t even need to wear a disguise. Some things may be obvious to consider — commute, school district and grocery stores — others may not. Here are 3 things that might not be apparent at first glance.

Is it a Good Deal Really?

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In a buyers market, good deals can be had, but beware of the old adage: “If it looks to good to be true, it probably is.” In certain instances, buying a foreclosure when the market is down is a sound investment. You will inevitably make money when the market begins to bounce back.

However, a neighborhood littered with foreclosure and rent signs is a strong indicator that property values have declined. That means lowered property taxes will trickle down to less money for the city’s public services. Keep an eye out for these warning signs to be sure your new home is in a financially stable neighborhood.

 Looking Forward

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You may want to live near work or near family, but the neighborhoods in those locations may not be perfect right now. Checking with city planners can help you determine if the neighborhood you’re considering is slated as up and coming. They will have information on building projects projected for the community in the near future.

On the flip side, a neighborhood that seems ideal with plenty of open, quiet spaces may not necessarily remain so quaint in the future. Again, checking with city planners can save you the disappointment of discovering that open space near your perfect house is in fact reserved for a new subdivision.

 A Second or Third Look

Noise pollution and even offensive smells may not be evident at first look. Taking the time to visit your dream home at different times of the day may reveal a different realization. You may discover that your perfect place is actually along the flight pattern of a nearby airfield.

Perhaps there is a busy firehouse nearby that will often be driving with sirens blaring down the main street located just a block away. You may find that close neighbors have noisy dogs, which never stop barking.

Even more disturbing than noise pollution is the occurrence of offensive smells. A stagnant pond or nearby restaurant may give off an unbearable smell at certain times of the day. So break up the times in which you visit the neighborhood in order to become familiar to these types of issues.