Scrutinize The Neighborhood Before You Buy

It used to be a heck of a lot easier to tell a good neighborhood from a bad one. All you had to do was drive through the neighborhood, perform a quick check on nearby schools, do a crime check and keep an eye out for abandoned properties. If the schools were good and the homes well-kept, the neighborhood was a keeper.

But today, determining whether a neighborhood is good and will hold its value isn't so easy. The suburbs were once the Mecca of homebuyers with kids the white fence and a dog yet now the burbs outrank urban city centers in terms of poverty.

So how can you tell if you're buying into a neighborhood likely to hold its value until you're ready to sell? There are a few ways to properly scrutinize a neighborhood before you buy.

1.Most people have a clear idea of their dream home but they give little thought to the neighborhood. Start by defining what your dream neighborhood is like. Is it walkable? Can you walk to the downtown area? Do you want to live in a historic neighborhood? Do you want to be in an exciting college town or in a more sedate, family-oriented environment?

2.With property taxes being lowered many towns and cities have to cut back on the public services they offer. Parks, libraries and town police often get the ax first. Drive through a potential neighborhood, and then through the town, and look carefully for clues that the city is having financial trouble. Are the streets clean? Are the parks in good condition? Is the grass cut? Check the library as well. Have they had to cut their hours?

3.If you have kids, then the quality of local schools is a huge issue. Even if you don't have children local schools still matter simply because when it comes time to sell, your buyers may have kids. Research the local schools and think about attending a PTA meeting to talk with parents. You can get an ear full of the neighborhood pro’s and con’s from local parents.

4.Examine the clues right under your nose; do you see a barrage of For Sale signs? Are the surrounding businesses shutting down? These are signs that things might be on the decline.

5.How are the neighbors keeping up their homes? Take a stroll through the neighborhood; look at all the details like sidewalks, grass and trees. How’s the upkeep? Are decks being maintained; what about window coverings? All of these signs tell the story of the neighborhood and how people feel about where they live.

Small details are a reflection of the people living in our communities. When you’re about to invest in one of the most important purchases in your lifetime, you should scrutinize where you will be happy; why wait until after you move in to notice all the things you don’t like about the neighborhood?