House Hunting: Choosing the Right Neighborhood for You and Your Family
Picture this, you just bought your very first house; a nice and affordable home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a basement and a backyard for the kids to play. It took a while for you and your spouse to find the home that fits your family’s needs, but despite the difficulties, things are finally looking bright. Soon after moving into your house, you quickly discover that you are unable to sleep at night; the street you live on becomes a block-party the minute the sun goes down. Tons of unsupervised kids dash around the neighborhood and young teen-agers blast music & violent disturbances so loud that your house vibrates. Beer bottles, soda cans, food wrappers, cigarette packs and even marijuana paper liter the streets the following morning. Now picture this, the possibility of you or a family member catching a stray bullet in the head while watching American Idol has just increased from 10% to 70%. You are too afraid to leave the house. Not to mention you were just informed from Ms. Jones, the nosey woman across the street, that your next door neighbor is a registered sex offender. Things are no longer as bright and you begin to wonder how were you not able to notice these “deadly” signs that you were moving on Elm Street.
One of the biggest mistakes new residents make when seeking a new home is the failure to thoroughly investigate the neighborhood. The new home you’re interested in may be beautiful, but is it worth moving there if you won’t be able to rest easy? Many will conclude that it’s virtually impossible to know what your neighborhood is like until you move in, but I strongly disagree. There are many ways to investigate the neighborhood while house hunting to ensure you are moving into the right environment for you and your family.
While house hunting, you should always remember that it is not the realtor’s responsibility to inform you on the neighborhood or entire area. Some realtors may not know any information on the area at all. Other realtors will intentionally keep any information that may damage their sell from you. It is all up to you to research the neighborhood.
Timing is everything
When my wife and I first started house hunting it was during the winter. It seemed as if every neighborhood we went to was the most peaceful place on earth. Well, the reason every single neighborhood was nice and quiet was due to the bitter cold and nasty weather. Not too many people will be outside when the temperature is twenty degrees or below. The best time to house hunt is when the weather is nice. You are then able to see who will be your neighbors and the daily activities that go on. At night, drive thru the neighborhood to see what goes on when you will be sleeping. Don’t just focus on the street you hope to live on, drive thru the entire community.
Ask questions
While exploring the community, talk to people up and about in the neighborhood. Most people will be very honest and let you know what really goes on in the community. This allows you to find out a little bit about the people that will be living around you. If you’re lucky, you may get some important information on the home you wish to purchase that the realtor conveniently left out.
Research Thoroughly
Investigate the schools in or around the community. Do the schools look like a place you would send your children? How far is the grocery store and pharmacy from the home you want to purchase? Check on stores and certain places that may attract the wrong people in your area. How many liquor stores are in the area? Where is the nearest police and fire station? Investigate for sex offenders in your neighborhood. You never know who lives across the street or next door.
