Find the Perfect Neighborhood
Even if you don’t have school-aged children, buying a home in a district with good schools will be in your best interest. When and if you sell the home at some point in the future, future buyers with children will likely consider good schools their top priority. And neighborhoods with good schools typically attract more buyers.
- Ask your Realtor about information on schools in the area.
- Talk to people in the neighborhood, especially people with children.
- Standardized test scores are also available on the Internet.
- Visit the schools and take a tour if you have children. It’s important that your decision isn’t based purely through facts gathered online. Get a true feeling for what the school is like.
No one wants to live in a neighborhood where break-ins and burglary are the norm. There are web sites that can provide you with statistics on crime and other information pertinent to your search.
- Talk to neighbors.
- Take note if there are bars on the windows and doors of homes.
- Talk to the police or sheriff’s department.
- Check for gang graffiti on walls and walkways.
- Keep in mind that if you’re looking in-town, you may not be able to get away from everything you consider unappealing (such as noise and traffic).
A home isn’t just an investment when you have a family to think of. You’ll need to consider more than just the number of bedrooms or whether it has an attached garage. You’ll need to consider the community first and foremost. Do you want schools that are in walking distance? Do you want to be close to your place of employment? Do you want to be close to shopping, restaurants, and other services?
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