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- It meets points on your neighborhood 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.
- 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