What are some tips for choosing the right neighborhood?

Did you know that finding a home that suits you is only part of the real estate house hunting journey? Discom Realty knows after decades and decades of selling homes that there is another big part. That is choosing the right neighborhood.

That’s why we decided to write this blog article to discuss the question – “What are some tips for choosing the right neighborhood?”. We hope you find this blog article helpful and interesting during your home buying journey and don’t worry we are here to help you.

What are some tips for choosing the right neighborhood?

Okay, so almost everyone has the ideal number of bedrooms and square footage in the heads (or mind) before they even start house shopping. And we agreed that this is certainly important when buying a home — but the community might be even more vital. That’s right!

Picking a community or neighborhood really matters. It defines your social and emotional happiness over the long term. This area may seem like a dream now but in the future, it is where you will find new friendships and establish strong ties to organizations like a church, country club, pool club, civic club, the PTA, a Scouting program, and so on. 

Yes, it’s where you’ll likely exercise and socialize, where your kids will grow up and go to school, and, ultimately, where you’ll put down roots and build a life.

We want to help you find your dream home – that statement is all over our website but making your dream home your forever home is a whole new ballgame. So if you are ready to look for a new home – here is how you can find the right neighborhood:

1. Know your needs. If walkability is high on your list, make sure the neighborhood offers plenty of paths to explore. Is your commute to work a big factor? How long will it be? What are your thoughts on homeowners associations?
2. Do some research. Take some time to look into the community. Check out school district ratings and look at nearby listings to see home values. Reach out to learn what else the community offers.
3. Check out, online groups. Pull up any neighborhood groups you can find on social media. Does the online community seem friendly? You can also search for a neighborhood newsletter or local events.
4. Take a self-guided tour. Drive around the neighborhood at different times of day to get a feel for its character. Can you see yourself living there? If you’re buying from out of town, you can hop on Google Maps and take a virtual walk.
   And if you’re ready to take an online tour or see a home in person, get in touch today. Together we’ll find the right home and neighborhood for you.

What are some things to think about when choosing the right neighborhood?

1. Talk to the Neighbors, if possible.
2. Google the Street Address. 
3. Visit the Neighborhood Day and Night. 
4. Check the Crime Rates. 
5. Proximity to Work.
6. Evaluate the Schools. 
7. Check the Neighborhood Amenities.

These are few ideas that could help you to evaluate the neighborhood. We recommend taking time to research the pros and cons of the area. It is a good idea to think about your commute to and from work. Are there toll roads or is it too far from the highway?

Also, it might be wise to find a place in a good school district. If the time comes to resell your house a new family is going to be eager to get into the right school district with highly effective schools. Even if you don’t want children yourself or maybe your children have all grown up – this is a good selling point for the future.

So what makes one neighborhood more desirable than another one?

A great neighborhood is one that features interesting architecture and design. The neighborhood is comfortable and appealing with year-round thought put into the curb appeal.

A good neighborhood should have intriguing storefronts, well-kept homes, and clean streets with good lighting. Furthermore, there should be a good amount of flowers and trees that look inviting. Lastly, it should make you happy every time to drive in after a long day at work. You should feel proud to call it home.

Why is a neighborhood called a neighborhood and not something else?

The history of the term neighborhood comes from the 15th century. Back then it meant to be “neighborly conduct, mutual friendliness,” thus why they added hood after the word neighbor. 

But over the course of time, it meant “community of people who live close together” as recorded in the 1620s.  At more time went by the phrase in the neighborhood of meaning “near, somewhere about” is by 1857, American English. The Old English word for “neighborhood” was neahdæl. 

What 3 financial things can make a neighborhood more desirable?

1 – The Current Value of Housing
It is important to talk to your Realtor (that’s us – Discom Realty) about learning what houses in the neighborhood are currently valued at the moment. By doing this, you can compare the average value five versus 10 years over time versus today’s current market prices. The team at Discom Realty has plenty of experience doing this for our valued home buyers as well as our home sellers.

Furthermore, you can look at the data and decide if the property value has increased, decreased, or maintained its value. Here are a few questions worth thinking about:

1. How much has the property increased?
2. Has the neighborhood changed?
3. Is my real estate agent aware of any future developments?

Do be aware, unfortunately for legal reasons that Realtors are not allowed to express an opinion. A good quality Realtor will not say –

• “this neighborhood is wealthy and safe,”
• or “that neighborhood is dangerous and poor,”

If they do – find a new realtor asap. You will most likely need to or want to knock on a few doors and ask questions of potential neighbors.

2- Future Development
As we mentioned earlier, future development plans can make a big impact on your home value. For information on development plans, visit the city hall, county offices, or through the local Chamber of Commerce. Future developments change a neighborhood, increase taxes, and increase traffic.

Therefore it is a good idea to investigate any and all future potential development projects near your desired neighborhood. Once you know this information, you can then decide if that outlook will be suitable for you and your family.

3 – Property Taxes
Find out from the city what the current tax rate is. If you ask us to be your real estate agency, we can and will do this for you. Our realtors will review with you some useful factors to base what property taxes could look like for you in the future. These factors are based on questions that include but are limited to:

• How much it has increased in the last five years?
• Is there another expected increase?
• How much might you pay in five years?

Thanks for reading the “What are some tips for choosing the right neighborhood?” blog article!

Thanks for reading Discom Realty’s tips on choosing the right neighborhood. This blog article simply is here to help answer that question – What are some tips for choosing the right neighborhood?  If you need more help with this topic – give us a call and speak with someone on our real estate team today. Thanks again for reading this blog article!