Moving and Making All The Right Moves

When it comes to relocating, it is so important that you find the right neighborhood. It won’t matter how perfect your new house is if it’s smack dab in the middle of a war zone. Learn to spot the signs of a good neighborhood and what makes one hellish. Let’s explore what makes a neighborhood desirable.

Home Sales, or Lack Thereof

Sometimes the things that mark a good neighborhood are not always that obvious; especially when the whole country seems to be struggling in every way. You might first be drawn to an area that has an abundance of homes for sale. You might be thinking that’s great, you’ll have plenty to choose from. Before you go choosing, you have to ask yourself, why are all these homes up for sale? Knowing just how long they’ve been on the market is also a telling factor and one I would speak to a real estate agent about. In normal times, normal homes in normal neighborhoods usually sell within the first 2-4 months.

If you’re discovering homes that have been on the market for longer than 6 months, you should find out why. Are the homeowners just unrealistic about how much they can get for their homes? That may be true of a few, but if you’re seeing a dozen just sitting there for a half a year, you have to assume there is something wrong here. I would hesitate to move anywhere where there are numerous homes that have been foreclosed on.

Is it just an isolated case, or does the neighborhood depend on an industry that is no longer in demand? If the neighborhood has always been sustained by a certain industry that is on the way out, that could explain the foreclosures and the inability for agents to find buyers. If your livelihood does not depend on local industry it might still be safe for you to occupy a deep discounted foreclosed home.

Local Businesses

Next I would drive around checking out the local places of business. The obvious bad sign would be boarded up storefronts. That’s a little obvious and you may not see any. On the other hand, how long have the existing businesses been there? If everywhere you look there are new establishments that have been there for under a year, it may be a sign of a problem.

Why does everyone keep leaving, and why do people still keep coming in and opening new stores? All that turnaround is not always a good sign, but may not be a terrible one either. You’ll have to do some more digging to find out what is really going on in the neighborhood. You might want to just stop in and ask business owners. They will be happy to talk to you in hopes that you’ll turn into a loyal customer.

Then there is the question of the types of businesses that are there. Good neighborhoods sometimes have their share of less than desirable businesses, but a neighborhood that is flush with them; you should probably avoid. Look for things like liquor stores, adult bookstores, pawn shops, checks cashed, too many bars or dive bars, or bail bondsmen. Again, an occasional store, it’s to be expected. However, if these kinds of establishments are the norm, you may want to look elsewhere.

Try to find a place that has stores that are usually associated with better times. Search for businesses that have been around ten years or more. Businesses that I like to see are businesses that cater to not just the necessities, but things you can do without. Take REI and other similar upscale outdoor stores; those very high priced stores cannot survive in a neighborhood that is going down the toilet.

Motorcycle dealerships are another good sign. People do not have to have motorcycles. People that buy a motorcycle from a dealership have either very good credit, or a lot of disposable income. You also need the income to afford the sometimes high price of insurance; especially for those bikes classes as sport bikes. If the town can support a foreign auto dealership that sells Mercedes, BMWs, Ferraris, and similar high end autos, that’s a great sign!

Time to Buy

If your prospective neighborhood finally passes muster, you can find a home and bid with confidence knowing that if you get your dream house, it will also be in your dream neighborhood. Remember, look for signs that are not obvious, like bars on the windows of houses. Do some thorough checking and you will probably never end up in the neighborhood from hell.

Edgar Gardner is a professional blogger that provides information and advice on the process of how to buy a mobile home, real estate and luxury homes. He writes for Manufactured Selling Solutions, the top source for buying a manufactured home.

 

Tags: buy a house, buying a house, home purchase, purchase a home, purchase a house

Category: Housing