Sure, you have an idea about how much you are able to spend and the features your looking for in your new or next home but how much time have you dedicated to where you want this house to be located?
When making your decision to buy a new home, you've already considered upsizing, downsizing, Single Family -vs- Condominium. The endeavor is eased by the fact that you can advise your Realtor of the key features you're interested in... number of bedrooms/baths, garage size, floor coverings, kitchen attributes, etc. The challenge is finding the right location for convenience, commute, schools, gated communities, non-gated communities, golf, tennis, cycling, walk score, prestige, etc. ~ whatever is important to you.
If your moving next door to the Kids, Grandparents or your best friends, your job is pretty easy; however, if it's a new area for you, you need to do a bit of homework to ensure your decision is the right one. It's costly to try and make a change shortly after relocating so in this case-homework is your best friend, regardless of your memories from high school when your favorite TV show was on.
If you're new to an area, you might consider driving through it at different times of the day and on different days of the week (gated communities would be a problem). This will give you an indication of typical activity of your potential neighbors. If
it is in a gated community or named development, it's possible that there may be a dedicated Website or Blog that you might find helpful.
Make it a point to stop at the Chamber of Commerce, a great source of information for occupancy, employment, income levels, crime rate, school ratings and locations, transportation, local businesses, dining, entertainment, etc. You might also consider stopping at City Hall to inquire about zoning ordinances, home businesses, parking issues, neighborhood watches, parks and recreation, etc.
If you're relocating, you can generally obtain good feedback from your new or potential co-workers. You might also query friends and family. If you are adventurous, you might knock on a door or two, or stop and speak to someone watering the lawn, walking the dog etc. - be careful and be courteous - they could be your new neighbor. Your personal skills at relieving their apprehension and telling you what they know are really important as they can tell you about the area since they are the ones who have been living there for years; and, finally...
You can rely upon your Realtor or if you haven't started working with one, it's a perfect time to test the waters. Realtors need to stay up on the neighborhoods they specialize in. A short conversation inquiring about a home or area gives them a hint you may be a potential client and you do not have to hire them on the spot but can tell you if the person you are dealing with has the knowledge of your target area that you feel qualifies them to represent you.
Keep the faith!
p.s. Remember that Realtors are able to assist you with access to gated communities
No comments:
Post a Comment