The neighborhood is presumably the most critical deciding factor when buying a home. This is because no matter how much you like the actual house, the neighborhood isn’t something you can easily change.

With all the pressure and excitement of looking for a new home, how can you choose a neighborhood perfect for you?

How to Choose a Neighborhood That Suits You

Here are seven smart tips to help you select the right neighborhood for your family:

1. School

If you have school-going kids, the quality of nearby schools is an important consideration when scouting for the perfect neighborhood. Some neighborhoods have different school districts, and thus the neighborhood can determine where your kids end up going to school. It’s a good idea to make sure the neighborhood you’re choosing is in the best school district you can want for your kids.

Even for those who don’t desire to have children, the quality of education in the nearby schools will still affect your neighborhood in terms of property values. This is because you’ll almost always pay more property taxes in neighborhoods with top-performing schools.

2. Walkability

Walkability has become a major selling point for neighborhoods as people are trying to move away from driving everywhere. It is the measure of how friendly a neighborhood is to walking, and it comes with environmental and health benefits for the population.

Walkability includes the presence of quality footpath, sidewalks, road conditions, traffic, building accessibility, land use pattern, and safety. So the next time when looking for a new residential home, ask yourself questions like “Can I walk to the nearest restaurant or grocery store?”

Additionally, it’s important to note that suburban neighborhoods have better walkability than those in the city or countryside. You can check the walkability index of various neighborhoods through several online platforms.

3. Highway Accessibility 

Some neighborhoods are just easier to access than others. If your preferred neighborhood has easy access to a highway, you’ll be able to have a quicker commute. If you work from home, this might not be as important.

However, easy highway access can also cause high-traffic in some neighborhoods as most motorists will scramble to use these routes, especially during rush hour.

4. Recreational Activities

No matter what stage of life you’re in, you’ll want to make sure that the recreational activities near your neighborhood match your lifestyle. Ideally, find somewhere that suits how you use your recreation time.

For instance, if you’re into water activities, a neighborhood near the beach will suit you well. And if you like jogging and cycling, find a neighborhood close to the park.

5. Safety

Safety should always come first for you and your family. You want to make sure you live in an area where you can have some peace of mind.

There are a variety of sources to check when searching about the security of a neighborhood. You can check out the area’s website or contact the police department to learn about the criminal history of the neighborhood. Alternatively, you can talk to your potential neighbors to get an idea of how safe the neighborhood is.

6. Rate of Homeownership

Another helpful metric to consider is the percentage of owner-occupied homes in a neighborhood. A high rate of homeownership means that more homes in the neighborhood are likely to be upgraded over time.

These changes increase the neighborhood’s value over time while cultivating a strong feeling of friendship among neighbors. Recent data from the National Association of Realtors shows that existing homes’ sales activity is up by 24.7% with the Northeast and West regions of the country seeing the most sales.

7. Property Taxes

When choosing a neighborhood, look at the average property taxes for the area over several years to see how much fluctuation has occurred.

Potential property taxes should also be factored in if you’re moving to developing neighborhoods with new construction homes. As more houses are built and public services are made available, property values will increase over time, and taxes may increase as well.

Oberer Homes Can Help You Find a Home in a Suitable Neighborhood

There are a lot of factors at play when it comes to selecting the right neighborhood. Ensuring the location of your new home is right will increase the quality of your day-to-day life and tranquility of your home.

If you need help finding a home near Dayton, Miami Valley, Bellbrook, Centerville, and surrounding areas in Ohio, our real estate experts would love to help. If you have a lot in your preferred neighborhood, building a home will be your best bet. Our custom home builders are experienced, skilled, and equipped to offer quality results.

Give us a call today via 937-531-5505 to get professional real estate help.