Finding the Right Neighborhood

The number one thing a buyer must consider when buying a home, is to locate the right neighborhood that fits their needs and desires.    Before hand the buyer needs create a checklist of features that should be available when they purchase of their new home, such as, schools, parks, shopping, restaurants, and employment, etc.   Another aspect you should consider; do you prefer older or newer homes.   Whatever you preference are, be sure to make a list of important preferences and rank them in the order of preference.  Doing this, will help you narrow down your home search and prevent you from making an emotional decision, which would you be sorry for in the future.  When trying to decide on the neighborhood, drive the neighborhood at least 3 times, at different times of the day.   This will help you to determine if this is the right neighborhood for you and your family.  When driving the neighborhood, take notice of the condition of the homes, yards, your next door neighbors, sidewalks, streets, traffic and parking, etc. Also when driving the neighborhood, if you see someone who lives in the neighborhood, stop and ask questions.  Find out their likes and dislikes of the neighborhood.  Finally, if you are relocating from another city, recommend you spend at least 1 day up front getting an overview of possible areas that you might want to consider in home search.