Heart of the city or suburbia? Where are you going to live? When buying a home, we have a general idea of the location we want to live in corresponding with our needs. But no matter where you choose to live, opt for a neighborhood that suits your personality and requirements.
Far from researching every nook and cranny of the area that surrounds your house, just check out if the neighborhood can fulfill your basic wishes. Some common factors that are a priority with most home buyers include:
Facilities:
Every neighborhood should provide these basic facilities or at the very least must be situated close to them. A supermarket, school, green areas (like parks), restaurants, post office, transport links, healthcare services should be easily accessible.
Social Attributes:
Apart from facilities, you should watch out for the crime rate and the safety of the locality. Usually, a residents’ association like a Neighborhood Watch is a good sign. An association like this could also represent the spirit of the community itself. Friendly people are always welcome whether you are looking to make new friends or just need someone to occasionally watch over your pet.
Environmental Qualities:
Not very high on the priority list but a quick run through can help. This basically includes the way a neighborhood looks, quality of the streetlamps, noisiness in the locality etc.
Once you’ve got your list ready, how do you check out the neighborhood? Before you go on the ground and start snooping, do some basic research on the internet. Some search engines provide the facility to check out neighborhoods by just punching in the zip code or the name of a town. Also a general search using key words like crime rate, best neighborhoods, schools etc. can be a great place to start.
Finding a decent locality to live in is one of the many aspects of finding the right home. Research shows that neighborhoods have a great affect on people especially on the growth and academic performance of children. So make sure that you do this aspect of house hunting some justice. For when you open your front door every morning, the sight you behold should make you smile.
Article Source:
http://www.choiceofhomes.com/articles/buying-homes-neighborhood.htm
