Choosing a Neighborhood
Let's take a look at some of the key ingredients that make up the flavor of your typical neighborhood.
If you're a parent (or plan to be), this might be the most important factor on the list. If kids aren't part of your gameplan, you probably want to just skip ahead to the next section.
There are websites designed to help parents find and learn about schools: GreatSchools is one such popular site that collects parent ratings, test scores, and reviews for schools across the country. Redfin also uses GreatSchools data for our own school information pages.
Is the local neighborhood booming, or are the streets lined with boarded-up homes and storefronts? Is there a mix of different businesses and industries in the local community, or does everything ride on a single company or industry staying afloat? Does the economy stay at an even pitch throughout the year, or does it swing back and forth with the seasons?
Some time spent driving or walking around a neighborhood can give you a first-hand look at its economic health. Also check the local newspaper for economic and housing news.
Explore a Virtual Neighborhood
Checking out a new neighborhood should be fun. That's why we've put together a little interactive neighborhood for you to explore. Just click on the yellow info-points to get helpful tips to use when considering your next neighborhood.
Personal and property crimes are a fact of life, no matter where you live. Redfin provides demographic information, including crime statistics, by zip code.
What is there to do in your neighborhood? Are there parks nearby? Shops? Movie theaters? Restaurants?
A great resource to help you find out is Walkscore. Walkscore is a website that rates neighborhoods on how easy it is to walk to entertainment, dining, schools, parks, libraries, and other points of interest.
How much traffic does your neighborhood get? Is there ready access to mass transit? How long would it take to get to work during rush hour?
To get a real feel for your commute time, forget about only visiting during the weekend; get up early and take a test-drive of your actual morning commute, then try coming back from work in the evening. Is it a trip you'd want to make twice a day?
It's hard to put a finger on character, but you know it when you see it. How does a neighborhood feel when you walk around? Safe? Unwelcoming? Busy? Sleepy?
Spend some time in your target neighborhood during weekends, weekdays, and evenings. Walk around. Visit shops. Check out the clientele at the nearest grocery store. Chat with neighbors. Get a gut feeling for how at-home you'd feel if you really lived here.