Question the Neighborhood Before You Buy
The time has come for you to buy a home, you have spent countless hours on the Internet searching for homes that fit your needs, the right number of bedrooms, the property taxes, the school district, your commute to work, etc., but there are some questions that you should be asking that you may not have considered and you probably will not find these answers in the property’s listing sheet.
In order to make a smart buying decision you will want to probe a little deeper into the neighborhood’s crime rate, area residents and what safety measures are in place to keep you and your family safe.
Here are a just a few things you will want to look into before purchasing your next home:
· Check the sex offender registry. Most states including Massachusetts have provisions like Megan’s Law and other registries where individuals with histories of criminal convictions must register their home addresses with local authorities. Check the address of the home you are considering buying to see who is living in your potential new neighborhood.
· What is the history of the home? You may think this unusual but some abandoned homes may have been used as drug labs. Homes that were used as drug labs are hazardous to your health. Many of these are usually but not always sold by banks as foreclosures. If the bank or real estate agent does not know the home’s history they don’t have a legal obligation to disclose it so you will have to do your own homework. First, talk to neighbors to see if they have any information. You can also ask the local police.
· Check the neighborhood’s crime rate. Don’t factor in just the numbers of crime committed but also consider the types of crimes in the area. Are they violent and non-violent? Will you need to invest in a car alarm or a security system after a rash of break-ins?
· What precautions are in place in the neighborhood? Does the neighborhood have a watch program? Talk to the neighbors about what type of precautions are in place.
· Visit the neighborhood at different hours of the day; keep an eye out for unsavory visitors, traffic and vacant homes.
Buying a home is an investment in your family and your future. If you have any other questions regarding local information your real estate professional can help point you in the right direction. You can also always call the local police department and ask for any statistics they have on the area.
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