Buying a Home? Research the Neighborhood!

There’s plenty of factors that go into deciding what home will suit you and your family best, but the location you will live in should rank high on your list of considerations. You can always update a home, but you can’t change its location. When trying to decide if a neighborhood or area is best for you, you can start by determining your most important criteria. It may be community amenities, distance to work or school, or even traffic/proximity to travel hubs like airports. Comprehensive neighborhood research is critical when it comes to ensuring you will end up in a home you love, inside and out.

Here are a list of some of the factors you should consider as you perform your neighborhood research.

1. Transportation to Work or School

t is key to research what your daily commute can look like and decide if it is doable. If heavy traffic could impact you, consider what a location could do to your commute time - even outside of work and schooling. If you are in need of public transportation, finding a home that fits that need should be high on your list of priorities.

2. Community Atmosphere

If you have children or are planning to, an important element to research is whether the area you are considering is family-friendly. While checking out potential neighborhoods, notice if there are children playing outside in their yards or if you see signage to slow down in the neighborhood. These are just a few signs that the neighborhood is a welcoming environment for children. If you don’t have children and are still wanting to be involved in your local community, check out neighborhood Facebook pages and see if they offer what you are looking for

3. Neighborhood Curb Appeal

Does the appearance of your community factor into your decision? Take a drive through potential neighborhoods and see if the houses in that area are well-maintained and consider finding out if the community has an HOA