Have you just done a walkthrough on one of the most attractive and perfect homes you've ever seen? Before you dive headlong into making an offer that locks you into an agreement you should slow down. Before committing you should remember that your home isn't just the real estate that your realtor found for you. The neighborhood and community around you is also your home. Every business, every neighbor, and every domestic animal and small child - they all make up your home. You buy into the community so it's important to gather information and understand what it is that you're buying into.
Getting from Point A
Since you only spend a small amount of time actually in your home you need to get out and spend some time in the community where you would be living. You'll run errands, shop, review businesses, eat out, talk to neighbors, visit parks. The best thing you can do is cruise the area and examine these locations along with the roads. Find out navigation and driving around is easy or if it's a gridlock nightmare for half the day.
Schools
Even if you don't have children or they're all grown up, a school is still a concern in your neighborhood and it's part of your home. The quality of the school as well as the location can affect the resale value. It also has a dramatic effect on the quality of the neighborhood including the attitude of children and parents in the area. Before committing, take some time to review the school district, dropout rates, testing scores, etc.
Community Living
Every community and every neighborhood has its own feel. As you spend time among the people of the community to can decide if it's a good fit for you and yours. This goes beyond mingling with neighbors - you should visit hospitals, community groups, local events taking place and more to determine the character of the local residents and if you will mesh well with the group.
Neighborhood Crime
Crime will be present no matter where you live - you can't really escape from it but you can take the time to talk to your realtors as well as local law enforcement to find out how the crime is in the area where your new home would be located. There's a lot of data and statistics on local crimes and you'll be able to find detailed data pertaining to your neighborhood. You can also go into back issues of the news or check local news sites to see trends in criminal activity.
Utilities
Few people think about the utilities when they're looking into buying property with a realtor and that's understandable - there's a lot to consider and things will slip your mind. You should know whether or not there are community sewer and water systems. If not, you're likely on a well and septic system. It also pays to know whether you're on natural gas or electric heating since this will determine what type of appliances you'll need and the average cost of your monthly energy use.
It never takes long to gather the relevant data and get a good quality review of the neighborhood and local community. That small amount of time spend looking into the history of the neighborhood and current living can go a long way toward future happiness (or being miserable in a neighborhood you hate).
Getting from Point A
Since you only spend a small amount of time actually in your home you need to get out and spend some time in the community where you would be living. You'll run errands, shop, review businesses, eat out, talk to neighbors, visit parks. The best thing you can do is cruise the area and examine these locations along with the roads. Find out navigation and driving around is easy or if it's a gridlock nightmare for half the day.
Schools
Even if you don't have children or they're all grown up, a school is still a concern in your neighborhood and it's part of your home. The quality of the school as well as the location can affect the resale value. It also has a dramatic effect on the quality of the neighborhood including the attitude of children and parents in the area. Before committing, take some time to review the school district, dropout rates, testing scores, etc.
Community Living
Every community and every neighborhood has its own feel. As you spend time among the people of the community to can decide if it's a good fit for you and yours. This goes beyond mingling with neighbors - you should visit hospitals, community groups, local events taking place and more to determine the character of the local residents and if you will mesh well with the group.
Neighborhood Crime
Crime will be present no matter where you live - you can't really escape from it but you can take the time to talk to your realtors as well as local law enforcement to find out how the crime is in the area where your new home would be located. There's a lot of data and statistics on local crimes and you'll be able to find detailed data pertaining to your neighborhood. You can also go into back issues of the news or check local news sites to see trends in criminal activity.
Utilities
Few people think about the utilities when they're looking into buying property with a realtor and that's understandable - there's a lot to consider and things will slip your mind. You should know whether or not there are community sewer and water systems. If not, you're likely on a well and septic system. It also pays to know whether you're on natural gas or electric heating since this will determine what type of appliances you'll need and the average cost of your monthly energy use.
It never takes long to gather the relevant data and get a good quality review of the neighborhood and local community. That small amount of time spend looking into the history of the neighborhood and current living can go a long way toward future happiness (or being miserable in a neighborhood you hate).
About the Author:
Buying a home is a big step and it's not something you should have to endure alone. Partner with Washington DC Realtors to help you find the perfect home for you're family. We can help you find the perfect home in Washington DC real estate. Paragon Remodeling | 8000 Towers Crescent Dr | Vienna, VA 22182
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