Safe Neighborhood: A neighbourhood and a safe place are very important to determine and know about before buying a new house. Even if you think that the area where you are thinking of buying a house is good, you still need to know about the safety and security situation of the area before finalizing to buy a house.
That's why you should learn everything you can about your possible new neighbourhood's safety and crime rates: Is the area safe for children, and can you leave your car outside without fear of being burgled?
Unfortunately, getting the 411 isn't as simple as asking your real estate agent. In reality, your real estate agent will be unable to assist you in this situation.
Because of the Fair Housing Act, agents are lawfully unable to respond to your queries concerning neighbourhood safety, so you'll have to do your investigation regarding the safety of the neighbourhood before finalizing to buy a house.
The followings are some steps to take for finding out your new home is in a safe neighbourhood:
You have to do your research whether it is online research or any other way but it must be a trusted source. Do your google search and find out what pops up. This one may seem self-evident, but we'll emphasize this anyways, start your investigation online.
While you can and should investigate what comes up when you Google violence rates in the new area where you are willing to buy a house, there are some search results we'd be more willing to believe than other results.
Some experts and experienced persons like Ryan Fitzgerald who is a Realtor in Charlotte, NC and owner of Uphomes suggest some tools like area vives and city data for research of the safety of the new area.
Jo Ann Bauer, a Realtor in Scottsdale, AZ, has another recommendation.
"One of the web resources I offer to house buyers who want to know about neighbourhood safety or the crime is CommunityCrimeMap, which contains crime mapping with information on places and times," she explains.
You can also study public documents such as police reports, which are frequently available in local publications or online, in addition to these online searching sites.
You may always run a fast search on the National Sex Offender Public Website if you want to know about who could be residing in the area, especially if it concerns the safety and security of your family and children.
This is a good way to find out the safety and security situation of the new area as the locals have already experienced.
"Speaking with the neighbours is one of the best ways to judge a neighbourhood's safety," Fitzgerald adds. If required you can ask people directly, 'How's the neighbourhood?' if you see them outdoors."
You may also contact and find out from the local homeowners association or spy around on Nextdoor, Reddit, or Quora to see what's going on in your community. These websites can provide you with a glance into what the locals are talking about and alert you to anything which may be good or bad that is going on in the area.
This is also an option to be friendly with the neighbours and plan a visit to their houses for general discussion and also finding out how the area is, whether it is secure or not because the neighbours are those who can provide you genuine information.
Real estate agents suggest that whenever feasible, drive through a potential area on multiple days and at different hours. Take a look at your neighbours' automobiles and how they maintain their homes. Neighbourhoods, where people take pride in their homes, are typically a smart option.
On these walks, go a few blocks and attempt to take in as much as possible. Notice the things like big gates or security fences around the houses, bars on the windows, and shattered glass on the ground, It might indicate that automobile break-ins are common in the neighbourhood.
This, too, appears to be self-evident, yet it must be said. Nothing can ever completely replace a gut instinct. If you visit your new area and don't feel comfortable enough to stroll about alone, then no amount of internet crime maps can help you.
Always trust your gut feeling and also imagine and fit your daily routine or activities in the new area, think about the morning walks will you feel secure in the area and also think about your family if you allow them to go alone outside for a walk or for your children to play around will they feel safe and secure. Also, think of parking your car outside on the street overnight.
"Don't relocate there if you have any reservations about the area," Fitzgerald advises. "Follow your gut impulses. The thing you don't want to do is acquire a home in which you won't be happy, especially if your family will be unhappy as well."
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