It’s not uncommon for homebuyers to spend months pouring over hundreds of real estate listings until 
they find the perfect home that they can afford and that will fulfill their quest for a better lifestyle. Yet, the surprising fact is that by focusing mostly on a house, many homebuyers end up buying a property in a neighborhood they know little about even though they will probably live there for a decade or longer. The reality is that even if you have purchased a perfect house with everything you wanted in it and more, but you discover your neighborhood doesn’t have the amenities, recreational facilities, schools and other lifestyle factors you expected, then your American dream could soon become a nightmare. That’s why it makes sense to choose the neighborhood where you want to live before you focus in on a specific property. Here are 5 things you should do before choosing a neighborhood that will ensure you’ll enjoy the home you buy there:
1. Do Your Own Research
Many homebuyers naturally consult their friends, relatives and co-workers when they begin their neighborhood research. However, the flaw in this approach is that a widowed aunt is unlikely to know about the schools in an area just as a co-worker with babies in diapers probably won’t know if the area has a jazz club or an art gallery that has afternoon single gatherings. It always best to do your own research, and if you are going to ask someone about a particular neighborhood, make sure the ndividual’s circumstances are similar to yours and that they are interested in the same lifestyle you are. You also can go online and research neighborhoods on such sites as http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/. You can use a series of keywords like “young families,” upwardly mobile” and “young singles” to find reas that make sense for you. Such sites will also give you crime statistics of a neighborhood and the schools in the area.
2. Trust But Verify
While talking to people and checking out stats on Web sites are good sources of information as far as hey go, the information they give needs to be verified. After all, if someone you spoke to hasn’t lived in the neighborhood for five years and the crime stats on the Web site are a year old, it makes sense for you to go to the primary sources to check their accuracy. Go to the local police station and ask to see the latest crime stats. Are there any upward trends? Call a couple members of the local school board. Most of the time they are accessible. If not, talk to their aides and get the latest info on area schools.
3. Don’t Underestimate Your Commute
If you find the perfect neighborhood in a rural area, before you buy a house there, make sure you didn’t underestimate the commute. It is a common error made by buyers that when they view a home on a weekend or during the day, they assume the amount of time it took to reach the property will be the same when they commute to and from work. This is never the case, because rush hour traffic can turn a commute that is normally 30 minutes during the day into a 1-1/2-hour tension-filled drive. So before you purchase a house in a neighborhood of your choosing, drive from your workplace to the property during both morning and evening rush hours. This is the only way you can truly measure what your commute would be like, if you purchased the home.
4. Check Out Your Neighbors
When you move into a new home your neighbors will have a profound effect on your quality of life. Yet many people purchase a house without knowing anything about their neighbors. Before you buy a house in a neighborhood try getting out of your car, taking a walk and touring it objectively. Is there a lot of noise? Are there a lot of barking dogs chained to fences? If you see someone outside working in their yard or walking their dog, approach them and ask them how they like the area and tell them that you’re thinking of moving there. Most people you meet will be helpful and truthful.
5. Consider The Neighborhood’s Amenities
By this time you have decided that the new neighborhood is great and you fit in with the neighbors. 
Now the question becomes what amenities are in the immediate area? Are there a wide variety of restaurants and stores, or just a few strip malls with sub shops and stores selling brands you never heard of? One good way to find out what the area has to offer in the way of amenities is to spend a weekend at a motel or hotel in the area before you purchase the home. This way you can explore and see for yourself everything the area has or doesn’t have in the way of amenities.
Comments(2)