Before Shopping for a New Home… Shop the Neighborhood

By Sharon A. Bassett

You know how much you can afford. You have your down payment. You have pre-qualified for your mortgage. Now it’s time to shop for your dream home. A place where your family will want to gather. A place to make holiday memories. A place where you can live your best life and enjoy the fruits of many years of labor. What will you look for in your new property to make THIS house the place you will call home? If you’re planning on purchasing a home, keep in mind that you’re not just buying a house, you’re investing in a neighborhood.

Don’t start with the house.
Start with the neighborhood.
Don’t overlook this key consideration before you start to look for a home. When you take the time upfront for this exploration, you’ll be able to watch for houses in those areas that meet your criteria – rather than jumping at what might be the right house in a location where you don’t want to live. Look for local amenities and services that support your lifestyle, such as a school, hospital, grocery, other retail shopping, gas station, or public transit. Drive around at different times to see what’s happening in the neighborhood. Check it out during the week, on weekends, and during the day and evening.

If you have school-age children, the local school district and its performance will be of high priority to you. The school and the district’s state report card, class size, extracurricular activities offered, and distance to the school will be as important to you as the number of bathrooms in your home. You can find any school’s state report card on the state Department of Education website. The school report card is a snapshot of how the school is doing academically, the enrollment, discipline and attendance rates, graduation rate, money spent per student, and how the school compares to others in the state as well as across the nation. To access school report cards for any school in Florida, use this website: edudata.fldoe.org.

Social amenities such as a community pool, parks, health facility, or business center might be important to your family. Security should be a concern for anyone looking to move, not just for people with kids. When you find a neighborhood you are truly interested in, check to see if there is a community Face Book page or website. Ask questions there.

Take a walk around the neighborhood and find a friendly face. Tell them you are considering a home in this area or street and ask them if they would mind answering a few questions for you. This might be your first new friend in the area!!

You can also check for crime reports online. Try citiprotect.com and search by zip code or address to see the number of police reports and the types of crime reported for that neighborhood. Most larger urban areas have detailed crime reports, while smaller towns may only have general information. On your drive thru the neighborhood, also look for vacant lots or abandoned buildings. Both could significantly change the area and impact property values. Graffiti, vandalism, broken windows, high fences, Beware of Dog signs, and barred windows are strong indications that crime is a concern in the area.

Find out what houses in the neighborhood are currently valued at, then ask a real estate agent how that compares with the average value five and ten years earlier. How much has the property increased? Has the neighborhood changed? Is the real estate agent aware of any future developments? Do be aware, though, that realtors are not allowed to express an opinion such as “this neighborhood is wealthy and safe,” or “that neighborhood is dangerous and poor,” so you might also want to knock on a few doors and ask questions of potential neighbors. You can check property values at your county court clerk’s office online or in person. Find out from the real estate agent or the city what the current tax rate is and how much it has increased in the last five years. Is there another expected increase? How much might you pay in five years? Build this amount into your moving budget.

In today’s world, a home is more than the walls you live inside. The neighborhood will become a community and if you find the right one, your neighbors will be a part of your life. Take the time to research more than just the house you like; find the neighbors you will want to like too.

Sharon A. Bassett is the Broker and Owner of Bassett Premier Realty, Inc. With an extensive background of schooling, from Pilot Aviation, 15 years of Construction and Design, Business Management, Entrepreneurship, 22 years of Real Estate, Owner/Broker. https://www.bassettpremierrealty.com

Sharon A. Bassett
Broker/Owner | GREEN, ABR, SFR,
RENE, MRP, SRES, HSE, GRI

352-602-0520
bassettpremierrealty.com

sharonbassettsells@gmail.com

Spruce Creek Professional Plaza
10935 SE 177th Place, Suite 201
Summerfield, Fl 34491