Buying In The Right Neighborhood

photo of downtown Plainfield, Illinois for an article about buying in the right neighborhood.

 

  • Buying in the right neighborhood means it meets points on your checklist
  • You hear good things about the area and like what you see when spending time in the neighborhood and visiting surrounding businesses
  • You see signs of home improvement such as nice landscaping, fences, decks, patios, etc. Home improvement efforts are usually indicative of pride in home ownership.
  • The neighborhood isn’t too far from your place of work
  • There are neighborhood watches/meetings: This is a sign that the community is close knit. Try attending some of these gatherings to learn more about the area and to determine if it’s a good fit for you.
  • Crime numbers are low
  • School scores are high: Schools are rated according to certain criteria such as standardized testing and those ratings can be seen at sites such as greatschools.org
  • Ensure the area meets your needs for at least 5 years: Maybe you are a young couple without kids right now but what if you decide to have a family in a few years or you change jobs? It’s a good idea to choose an area that will be able to accommodate such changes.
  • Homeownership is strong: Areas with high homeownership rates are generally stable.
  • Houses sell quickly

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