5 Tips for Choosing Your Dream Neighborhood Conti Realty Group

While the kitchen is gorgeous and the backyard is immaculate, how does the neighborhood measure up? Far too often, buyers find themselves caught in the conundrum of sacrificing a great neighborhood for a top-of-the-line kitchen. 

Don’t make the mistake of purchasing a home for its amenities. Look to these six tips for choosing the dream neighborhood of your future home.

1. Seek the help of your realtor.

Your local realtor should be able to source you with the most up-to-date information for a neighborhood including its school district, crime reports, average living costs and the like. Consult their knowledge when considering a home within your dream neighborhood.

2. Meet your potential neighbors.

Once you’re leaning toward ‘yes’ on a home, who better to approach than your potential neighbors to learn more about the neighborhood? Ask them about neighborhood specifics including pros, cons, HOA, community events, neighborhood watch, etc. Your potential neighbors will be able to provide accurate criticisms or praise before you take the plunge. 

3. Investigate the school district.

While you can certainly consult your realtor or potential neighbors for information on the local schools to see if this is your dream neighborhood, you can also conduct research on your own. Visit the local schools to learn about their performance ratings, transportation, student/teacher ratios and much more! You can also research this information online with sites like SchoolDigger. 

4. Research local crime reports.

You can find detailed crime reports on sites like CrimeReports and NeighborhoodScout. Simply enter in your zip code, and these sites will generate a neighborhood’s crime history and other statistics to gauge whether or not you’ve found your dream neighborhood. 

5. Explore the neighborhood on your own.

How manicured are the lawns? Often, well-maintained lawns and landscaping will indicate the quality of a neighborhood. Depending on the age of your children, you might want to look at the demographics of the families in the neighborhood. If you like the great outdoors, look for local hiking and biking trails. Other neighborhood amenities you can take note of are local pharmacies, parks, grocery stores and restaurants. 

6. Watch for warning signs. 

During your neighborhood search, you should also be looking out for warning signs. If you see multiple foreclosures or short sales in your potential neighborhood, this could mean that the area is actually declining and will not be great for resale in the future. It’s also a good idea to drive around the neighborhood during different times of the day to view the various traffic patterns and noise levels.