Analyzing a New Neighborhood

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

16 Mar 2009 07:19 AM

For qualified buyers, now is a great time to purchase a home. There are many homes available on the market, and the prices are good. There are still plenty of reputable mortgage companies that are offering mortgages for qualified buyers.

Will all of the choices to make before buying a home, one of the most important ones is exactly where you will live. You want to make sure that once you move in to your new home, you will like the neighborhood.

One of the best ways to be sure that you will fit in to your new neighborhood is to actually spend some time in it. Be sure to visit at different times of the day, especially after normal work times, so you can see how it is when people are home. Visit during the weekends, too.

The neighborhood and surrounding area really sold us on our current home. It was quiet during the day but had a real sense of community, with a gorgeous local park that hosted plenty of local events, from an Easter Egg hunt to a pumpkin festival. There was also a great library and easy access to shopping. We stopped and talked to neighbors who were out tending their property or taking walks. The people we met were all very friendly and could tell us more about living in the area.

Driving around the neighborhoods can go a long way to get a feel of the new area. You can find out not only what resources are around, but also find out if traffic is congested or if driving about will be challenging.

Visit your local town hall, borough hall or town seat, where you can get all sorts of information about the area. Also be sure to check out the local school ratings. Even if you don't have children who will be attending school, the scores and reputation of the school system can affect the property values and resale value of your home.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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