The Neighborhood
Life can be greater than you thought or it can be a nightmare if you do not consider the neighborhood as part of your decision. Here’s a list of things to check and consider.
- Local history
- Local government
- Its proximity to:
- Factories
- Trains
- Airports
- Traffic
- Highways
- Farms
- Sanitation
- Appearance
- Schools
- Whether the neighborhood is appreciating or depreciating in value
- Safety and security
Accessibility – Little things like driving through traffic bottlenecks or through industrial zones to get to shopping, schools or work can be a real issue over time. Consider the convenience of your desired neighborhood in relationship to:Work
- Shopping areas
- Schools
- Entertainment and lifestyle activities
- Places of worship
- Condition of the roads
- Available public transportation.
Community Facilities – Unless you are on the Internet 24 hours a day seven days a week, you will want to use the local resources to enhance your life. Consider looking into the following:
- Police
- Fire stations
- Health facilities
- Sanitation services
- After school activities
- Recreational facilities, such as parks, golf courses, hiking trails, etc.
If you are buying, consider what the neighborhood offers for you and your particular lifestyle. Furthermore, this might be a good time to evaluate your particular needs and how they might affect the potential to sell the home in the future. As an example, suppose you choose a home far from schools and children’s parks because that is not a concern for you in your life now. What you might want to consider is how distance from these facilities might affect the ability to sell your home one day to buyer who may have a keen interest in those things. Conversely if you are renting, these may or may not have a bearing on your life now or after you move.