Finding a good place to live is more than just buying a good home. When you buy a piece of property remember that you’re buying into the neighborhood and the neighbors just as much as you’re buying the property
So how do you tell if your neighborhood is any good without actually living there?
Well, grabbing a night at a hotel nearby and spending the day enjoying the locale is the best way to start. Here are the five easiest indicators of a great (or not so great) neighborhood.
Sidewalks and Benches
Sidewalks and benches reveal a lot about the general lifestyle of a neighborhood. If they aren’t there it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just know that your neighborhood could be lacking in overall festivities and socialization if you don’t have them.
Street Signs and Other Public Services
If all the street signs in the neighborhood are dilapidated and the ground is covered in trash, move elsewhere. If the city is beginning to neglect your neighborhood you should take it as a sign that things are going to get much, much worse in the future.
Crime Rates & Sex Offenders
Everyone looks at crime statistics before they move somewhere, and with good reason!
A large amount of crime can spell disaster for families and valuables. In addition, a large amount of crime causes property values to spike downwards.
Sex offenders are also important to look up. If a past sex offender lives in your neighborhood, it may not necessarily be cause for alarm. However, keep your eyes open to keep your children safe.
Noise During Peak Hours
This one is a bit more difficult to track, but it’s very important. If you can, spend a few hours in the area surrounding your dream home. If all you hear are children playing and lawnmowers then you may be on to something awesome.
If you frequently hear car alarms, yelling neighbors, stray dogs, or see lots of people congregating outside of liquor stores, take it as a red flag.
School Ratings
Obviously school ratings are important if you have kids, but they can be just as important if you don’t.
Think of it this way. People have a tendency to live their lives near where they were born. So in a decade or so, those students with poor grades will become your neighbors. Poor education coincides with violent and nonviolent crime, which means that your property values may plummet when those kids grow up.