I get it – Looking for your new home can be exciting. But before you start looking at homes, you should determine what areas or neighborhoods are of interest to you.
Many buyers think that they will get an idea of the areas while looking at homes. But honestly, there is a more efficient way to do it. Before looking at homes, you should have an idea as to where you want to live. For many, this can be an easy task, especially if you have been renting in the area for a while. But for those that are unfamiliar with areas or specific neighborhoods (especially, if you are from out of state) I suggest reaching out to your friends, family, co-workers and your Realtor to help you identify areas of interest based on what sort of lifestyle you are looking for.
Factors to evaluate may include:
- Proximity to work, shopping, bars and restaurants, gyms, schools, places of culture enrichment, parks and recreation, and public transportation
- Whether or not you prefer rural communities to densely populated areas?
- Are communities with home owner/condo associations acceptable?
- You can even get as granular as whether or not you want to live in a neighborhood that has or doesn’t have sidewalks.
Once you have thought about the above, work with your Realtor to set up a search based on your price range. This price range should be determined with the assistance of your local lender. You can then use the home search results as landmarks for you to visit the specific areas.
When visiting areas I recommend dropping by at different times of the day and even getting out to walk around. It’s a great way for you to see the area and even talk with neighbors to get the inside scoop. Where you choose to live is a personal choice so it’s important to put the time in before you start looking at homes. Once you have determined areas of interest/neighborhoods, the home search can start in earnest and then becomes just a matter of finding the right home!