Choosing a house with your “must-have” neighborhood amenities takes a lot of research whether you plan to move across town or cross country. Fortunately, many ways exist to pick the right fit for you and your family before you move. From the web to speaking to future neighbors, a little detective work will gather intelligence to help with this major decision. Keep in mind, the community you choose plays a large role in the growth in value of your house and your future happiness.
What Neighborhood Amenities Do You Want?
Before you start house hunting, make a list of the top things you hope to find in your new neighborhood. Do you have any deal breakers? Noisy traffic? No park? Long commute to work?
Many people look at the house and general location and forget to ask questions to learn about the nitty gritty details of a neighborhood.
Generally, people of all generations, according to the National Association of Home Builders, prefer a suburban community, near a park, with trails for walking or running, and easy access to grocery and retail stores.
Beyond good schools and low-crime rates, Realtor.com listed the top nine neighborhood amenities homebuyers seek. Its list includes parks, dog parks, grocery stores, local restaurants, mature trees and nature, library, community pool, coffee shop and farmers market.
Information a Click Away
Thankfully, today’s world provides us the Internet. It’s like having a genius at your fingertips to help you narrow down the best areas to live. You can access almost everything from median home prices to health facts about residents and more. City Data offers practically everything you want to know. Property values, education levels, crime statistics, etc. can all be found here. Another useful website includes Sperling’s Best Places. It allows you to search a city and, even narrows down loads of information by zip codes.
But as smart as technology has become, to get a true feel of a place will require some shoe leather.
Old-fashioned Research
First, drive around the neighborhood and take notes. Park? Check. Walking and running trails? Check. Local restaurants and grocery stores? Check.
Besides keeping a sharp eye out for neighborhood amenities you desire, look for things you want to avoid. How quiet or noisy is it? How much traffic on the streets? Do neighbors take good care of their houses and yards? Any sign of vacant lots or vandalism?
Another good way to learn more about the neighborhood: get out of the car and talk to your future neighbors. Get the scoop from them. Why do they live there? What do they like and dislike? What do they do for fun in the area? This will also help you gage the friendliness level of the people who already live there.
Choose Your Neighborhood and then Choose Master Movers!
Don’t throw this major decision to the wind. Do your homework on neighborhood amenities. After all, you will be investing in the neighborhood, as well as the house. Once you’ve made up your mind, call us and talk to our experienced and friendly staff! Master Movers experts can help you with all your moving needs!