Research Neighborhoods

As you get closer and closer to finding that dream home of yours the steps to the finish line are getting more and more important and you don’t want to miss any of them! With that said, the next step, is Step #8 – Research Neighborhoods!

Research has been the key to your success in finding a mortgage lender, getting pre-approved, finding a Realtor, looking at listings and now researching neighborhoods. It is important to know all there is to know about a neighborhood before getting serious about choosing a house. This isn't just because the vibe of your neighborhood is important to your everyday well-being and how happy you are with the home you purchased, but it is also important when you might have to move again and sell your dream home. This will help your re-sale value. If the neighborhood of your house is a pleasant place to live and desirable than you will have a much easier time selling the house in the future. If your dream house is located in a neighborhood of decline, make sure you keep the re-sale value in mind and note that you will have a much tougher time selling the house in the future, even if you keep your house in tip-top condition.

So when researching a specific neighborhood what should you look for? Here are a few factors that you should look at and keep in mind that future buyers would be looking at as well:

•          Crime Rates
•          Walkability
•          Local School Ratings and Quality
•          Culture of the area
•          General aesthetic of the neighborhood – are the homes well maintained or deteriorating?

A great website to start your research would be NeighborhoodScout. It gives you a lot of information regarding crime, schools, appreciate rates, etc. But just a note – you will have to subscribe to unlock some of the information.

So as you continue searching for your dream home online, with your agent and out in the field make sure you are keeping in mind the neighborhood the potential home is located. You will be glad you did!