How Neighborhood Quality Affects Your Home Value

June 30th, 2008

So, you want to buy a home? Have you thought about what neighborhood you would like to find your dream home in? The neighborhood itself, should be number one priority when buying a home. If you are not in the right neighborhood, your house value will not appreciate with the rest of the market and this property will become a bad investment and hard to sell.

There are a number of factors that determine if you are picking the right home in the right neighborhood. Other than the obvious nice lawns and nice cars parked outside the houses, you will have to dig a little deeper. Lets say you are interested in a certain neighborhood. This neighborhood is deed restricted, the houses are nicely painted, and the grounds are well maintained. We think this is a great neighborhood but we must check into 6 very important details to really determine if this is really the best neighborhood to buy a home in.

The first thing to check is the crime rate and also check the sexual predator database to make sure no one living in the neighborhood falls into these categories. The second thing to check is the nearby school selection, even if you dont have any children.

The third thing to check is shopping convenience. How close is the neighborhood grocery store or malls and are they nice, clean, and maintained. The fourth thing to check is how close you are to the beach (if you are in Florida). The fifth thing is entertainment. What kind of entertainment is nearby and is it sought after and enjoyed by many.

The sixth thing to check is the community centers and parks nearby. Did you know that some people drive for miles and miles to go to another communitys events and parks?

Now you can find the perfect neighborhood. Most of the times a lot of these things do not reflect in the price of the home for sale, but in the long run you will be much happier, safer, and richer in your selection of the perfect neighborhood for you.

Phaedra Hubbard is a Realtor that specializes in Tampa Bay Florida Real Estate as well as Clearwater Florida Real Estate . If you need to sell your home or buy a home please visit our website http://www.myfloridahomestore.com, we offer a free Comparative Market Analysis as well as free MLS Home Search.