Neighborhood characteristics affect home sales

Homebuyers are discovering that a community affects their final decision on which property to purchase, and factors that underpin a healthy lifestyle are playing significant roles.

This focus is creating community designs that incorporate green spaces, reduce the volume of local traffic and set up streamlined garbage and recycling collection. Village style suburbs that emphasize community entertainment and services are gaining popularity as well. Choose early on the factors you want in a community to keep from wasting time and resources on unsuitable areas.

Be certain to go to any potential community to assess the possibility of a negative area impact on your future property. Conduct examinations regarding flooding conditions and watch out for suggestions of chronic mold or insect infestation. Familiarize yourself with any nearby transportation-related services that might affect the noise level, such as railway crossings, airline traffic or busy fire stations. Also, drop by at night to see if the noise level increases and if the streets are well lit.

Review all the various methods by which you can reach your community and the pros and cons of each. Check for bicycle lanes and pedestrian crossings with adequately wide sidewalks. Hang around through rush hour and see if there are any bottlenecks that can cause traffic congestion. Also find out about public transit service in the area.

Of course, neighborhoods are made of the people who live there, so make certain that you are compatible with the types of people already living in the area. If you are seeking a tranquil life, moving onto a street near a school or day care center may mean more noise from a younger population. But, if you like to have an active household and like entertaining, choose a spot close to neighbors who share your enthusiasm for life.

Each neighborhood has a certain atmosphere, and a realistic study of how well your character will match the area is essential. If safety is going to be an issue, find out about the law enforcement activities by making contact with a neighborhood homeowners’ association. Research some local traditions. How does the area typically celebrate holidays, seasonal events and other activities that involve the neighborhoods?

Many sustainable neighborhoods are designed to keep expansion at bay by developing green corridors and setting rules regarding population density and property size. Inquire about any future proposals to institute civic or commercial projects like new streets, continual road repairs or even new train stations or shopping malls that could dramatically impact the quality of life.

Also ascertain the ability of the locale to expand with your needs, and see if the general neighborhood structure will allow your children to stay in the same school if you find that you need a larger home down the road.

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