What a Difference a Street Makes!

Is that home in the good part of town?  How's the neighborhood?  Is it safe?  What areas should I avoid? 

Realtors are asked some variation of these questions daily and they're important questions. So important in fact that the purchase agreement (in California) includes time for the buyer to investigate and decide for themselves.

In addition to conducting inspections on the home and deciding on school districts, accessibility to stores, medical facilities and so on, BUYERS MUST DECIDE if the area meets their needs and standards.

Resources for checking out the neighborhood:

When representing buyers, I recommend they visit the neighborhood of the home they're interested in.  This doesn't mean driving by one day, no - I'm talking about more.  After all, you plan to live here, right?

For example:

• Go on a weekend day and during the evening
• Stop by in the morning to see what "rush hour" looks like in the area
• Walk around the block and see if the neighbors are out and about
• Notice how neighboring homes are kept
• Pay attention for children out playing
• Time the drive to your work (store, doctor, etc.) to see how the commute feels
• Meet neighbors who are out and about; ask about the neighborhood
• Breath in and see how it smells in the area (don't laugh, it could be important)
• See if pets are running loose or are barking a lot
• Listen for noises that may not work for you

There are also a multitude of websites you can check for statistics and so on.  Here's a partial list to get you started:

• http://www.city-data.com/
• http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neighborhoods/crime-rates/
• http://www.idcide.com/citydata/ca/gilroy.htm
• http://www.morgan-hill.ca.gov/index.aspx?NID=766
• http://spotcrime.com/ca/san+martin

I would be derelict in my responsibilities if I didn't also point out that isolated events happen.  It's possible your visit will be during a neighborhood-watch party or other important get together.  Be sure to go more than once so you're in the know.

It's critical the buyer is comfortable because if all goes according to plan, you'll get to repeat the experience daily for many years. 

As always, let's foresee the possibilities . . . and get results!