What qualities do you look for when searching for a new home? To answer that, it all depends on what your desires are. One common thing people look for in a home is not so much about the home itself, but its surroundings. When people look at homes for sale, they look to neighborhoods that give them the best quality of life.
Kenda Coleman, a co-founder of Boston area realtor Coleman Group once said, “When people consider homes for sale, they not only evaluate the quality of it. They also consider every aspect of their potential neighborhood.” Read on and find out about the ways in determining which neighborhood is the right place for you to live.
Consider Areas With Commute Times That Work Best For You
An important factor to consider when looking at homes for sale is the transit options in your aspiring area. Let’s say you got a new job here in the Lexington, MA area. You want to search for homes that provide you the perfect balance between convenient commute times and affordable home prices. While considering this, think about the train and bus routes your neighborhood might offer. This gives you great flexibility in achieving that balance you’re looking for whether you drive or opt for public transit.
Look To Areas Where Active Transportation Is Most Convenient
Active transportation methods, such as biking or walking, can make your commute from Point A to Point B a productive one. On top of that, you’ll be in top physical shape and save money on gas for your car. Look for neighborhoods that have wide sidewalks and protected bike lanes. This allows you to feel safe when going out to work or to other places.
WalkScore, a homes for sale website, rates how safe a neighborhood is to commute in without using a car. This helps make your home search an easier one.
Aim For Fewer But More Efficient Trips
You probably are thinking about how you want to reduce the number of trips you take in your daily commute. At the same time, you also want to make those trips efficient ones. Let’s say this is your daily routine – leave home, drop your kids off at school, arrive at work, pick up your kids, get groceries, return home – you should look to locations that let you hit each stop while commuting in the same direction.
The best way to achieve this is to zoom in on the area of your home with Google Maps. Use this to scan for amenities like grocery stores, schools, and other places you would visit. This helps you plot the clearest route between all of your stops between work and your potential home. This goes a long way in helping you find the best homes for sale.
Make Safety And Comfort Your Top Priority
Perhaps one of the most crucial aspect in determining the best neighborhood for you to live in is your safety. You won’t enjoy your new place if you don’t feel safe there. This is why you want to ask yourself these questions when determining the area’s safety and stability.
- Do you see signs of neglected buildings and vandalism?
- Are yards and houses in the neighborhood well-maintained?
- Are there countless homes in your potential area up for sale or in foreclosure?
- Are there countless people out and about or does the neighborhood feel abandoned?
These questions will help you determine if a potential neighborhood where you’re researching homes for sale is right for you. To go a step further, use online sources like CrimeReports or the local law enforcement agency’s website. This will give you a better sense of property and other crime rates in your area of interest. Definitely important to make your safety and comfort your top priority when looking at homes for sale.
Great Research Of Your Prospective Neighborhood Helps You Have A Better Livelihood
There is no question that all these tips will help you pick a neighborhood that is best for you. There is more to looking at homes for sale than just the home itself. You also want to consider your commute times, your neighborhood, and your safety.