How to Choose the Right Neighborhood

What do you need when it comes to the neighborhood you’d like to live in, and what do you want? It can help to consider what you like and dislike about the neighborhood where you currently reside and take notes based on that.

• Do you have children or plan to? You may want to be close to childcare centers and in a good school district. Or perhaps you want to be near family who can help you take care of your children.
• Are you active? Look for communities with recreation centers and gyms, and walking, hiking or biking paths.
• If you’re religious, you may want to be near a church, synagogue, temple or mosque.
• If you prefer to be in the middle of all the action, look for neighborhoods in or near downtown areas with plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs.
• Do you work a lot? Many homeowners want to be close to their jobs and don’t want to spend an hour on the road to get there.

If you’re in a big city and don’t want to drive, you probably prefer being close to public transportation. Or maybe you choose to walk everywhere. “I had a client who wanted to be in the heart of downtown Denver where he could walk to get coffee, lunch and dinner,” says Dassinger. “Another client wanted to be close to work but then also not too far from the mountains.” It really is about where you want to go and how you prefer to get there.

One quick way to find out about crime in a neighborhood is to search the name of the city it resides in and “crime statistics.” Because some areas in the city may be safer or more dangerous than others, you can ask around, look up crime reports in local papers or even call the police department to get some information on numbers. You can also get this kind of information by using home-finding apps.

To help your real estate agent find the right area, give them a list of what’s important to you. And don’t be afraid to be very detailed about what type of neighborhood you prefer to live in. “Every individual has a story and something that is important to them,” says Dassinger. “Many times, it depends on where that person is in his or her particular life journey.”

Do you like what you see? Are there people out walking? Are residents taking care of their homes and lawns? Check for vacant lots or abandoned buildings. Is the area quiet or loud? What is the age range of the residents? Younger, middle age, retirement age or a mix? These are some of the things you should take into consideration as you walk or drive through potential neighborhoods so you can get an idea of what it would be like to live there.