Choosing the Right Neighborhood for You
You’re excited to buy a home, but before you start looking, you need to consider location, location, location! Your future neighborhood will have a big impact on your life and your lifestyle; safety, noise, amenities, and convenience must be considered.
As Exclusive Buyer Agents, we guide home buyers through these very issues; providing step-by-step guidance to buying a home in Sarasota, and evaluating the neighborhoods that will cater to your needs and enrich your life.
However, if you’re eager to do your own research, here are a few of our tips on targeting the best neighborhood for you and your needs.
1) Your Activities.
Draw up a list of your regular activities (movies, church, health club, etc.) and a list of the merchants that you patronize frequently. See how far you would have to travel from each neighborhood you’re considering to pursue your most common activities.
2) Your Safety.
You’ll want to out if the neighborhood you’re considering is safe. Ask the police department or local newspaper for neighborhood crime stats. Is the area known for violent or non-violent crime? (Burglaries, for example, can happen almost anywhere, but you may want to avoid neighborhoods known for assaults and armed robberies). What is the trend? Is crime increasing or decreasing? Is crime centered in only one part of the neighborhood, such as a retail area, or is it widespread?
3) Economic Stability.
Determine if the neighborhood is economically stable. In most cities, you can check with the city’s economic development office to see if income and property values in the neighborhood are stable or on the rise. What is the percentage of homes to apartments? Apartments don’t necessarily reduce value, but they do mean a more transient population overall. Do you see unoccupied businesses or homes in the neighborhood that have been for sale for months?
4) Local Schools.
Learn about the local school district. Even if you don’t have children, a home in a good school district will be easier to sell in the future. The state Department of Education or the local school board can probably provide information on test scores, class sizes, student-teacher ratios, the percentage of students who move on to college, and special enrichment programs. If you have school-age children, visit the schools in the neighborhoods you’re considering.
5) Real Estate Trends.
Unless you’re planning to live in this property forever, you’ll want to find out how well homes appreciate in the neighborhood. Ask a local Exclusive Buyer Agent (EBA) to obtain information about price appreciation trends in the neighborhood. Although past performance is never a guarantee of future results, price trends data may give you a general sense of how good an investment your home is going to be. An EBA or a local government planning agency may also be able to inform you about planned developments or other projected changes in the neighborhood, like a new school or highway, that may affect your property value in the future.
6) Take a Tour.
Finally, you’ll want to check out the neighborhoods in person or virtually (if you live faraway). At True Sarasota Real Estate, we offer many Sarasota virtual tours for potential home buyers. You’ll want a visual on the neighborhood. Are the lawns neat and well-kept? Are the streets quiet and traffic slow? If you have a chance, walk around the neighborhood, and chat with people who are working or playing outside. If you like them, you might get to choose them for neighbors.
If you’re looking at neighborhoods in the Sarasota area, our Exclusive Buyers Agents at True Sarasota Real Estate. We know Sarasota and the Gulf Beaches better than anyone; we are great neighborhood tour guides; and we are Exclusive Buyer Agents who work strictly for homebuyers and assist with every aspect of your homebuying process. We make buying recommendations based solely upon your needs, your plans, and your inclinations. Please make certain you have the protection and experience of an Exclusive Buyer Agent. Call us today and discover for yourself the difference True Sarasota Real Estate can make.