Choosing the Right Neighborhood or Keeping Updated on the One You Live in

Sometimes you can't judge a book by its cover, nor a neighborhood by its looks. There are neighborhoods that look perfectly safe and secure but experience some level of crime or safety issues.

Your real estate agent is a great and credible source to learn more about the neighborhood, future planned development, and schools. But, taking a few extra precautionary steps on your own will provide a little extra peace of mind.

Check with the local police department and ask about the crime rate and the type of crime being committed. The type of crime is going to dictate what type of criminal activity is going on and if it poses a threat or danger to the safety of your family.

Visit the neighborhood on several occasions and at different times; evenings, weekends, and during school time hours to see how the area changes. Observing the neighborhood and the people who live and work in the area will give you a better understanding of whether it’s a fit for you and your family.

Safety isn’t necessarily crime. Safety could be traffic issues too; how your kids are going to get to school; how far away the school is and what kind of transportation exists? Other important factors to consider: What is the geography around the school like? Do they have school crosswalks and crossing guards? Is there bus service? How many streets do your kids have to cross in order to get to school?

Whether or not you have children, understanding the school system and traffic issues are important because a thriving school district is a good indicator that the neighborhood will continue to be desirable and property values will continue to rise or stay steady.

There are a few more sources That can provide assistance in learning about the neighborhood.

• Eat at a local restaurant and talk with the patrons.
• Talk to local business owners. Even if they don’t live in the area, they will have some insight about the neighborhood and people living there.
• Find out about owner-occupancy. Your real estate agent is a great source for this kind of information. Ask about rental values -- even if you plan to live in the home. Tenants don’t always have the same pride of homeownership that owners do; thus properties are not always kept up as well as you may like.
• Is the landscaping at major commercial developments kept up?
• Drive around. Do you see home remodeling projects in progress? If so, this is good news. It’s likely that homeowners are planning to stick around and are willing to invest more in their homes because they like the neighborhood.

The more you learn about the location the less likely you are to discover something you really dislike after you buy and it may be too late. And if you already live in the neighborhood, the easier it will be to proactively change something you dislike about your neighborhood before it begins to impact your property values and more importantly, the quality of life for your family.

Selling Your Home Fast!

Houses that sell within the first five weeks of their listing are most likely to fetch their asking price. The longer the house sits on the market, the more pressure you’ll feel to lower the price and the less likely it is to sell without some freebies from you, the seller. Even if you don’t have a need to sell quickly, follow these tips from professional realtors to get top dollar for your home:

1. Find a Realtor: The best way to sell a home is hire a professional and allow their experience to guide you. A realtor knows the laws to help you sell your home, can assist you in deciding on the right selling price, offer suggestions for necessary improvements to your home to get your agreed upon price and other strategies for selling in your area.
2. Right Price: The most important factor in selling a home quickly is setting the right price. The best way to decide on a price is to find the average price of homes that have sold in your area. Your Realtor will have the information readily available. Rather than beginning with a set amount of gain you’d like to walk away with which is the most common mistake sellers make is pricing the home too high.
3. Prepare the Property: There are many things you can do to make the home more appealing to prospective buyers, the key is to make the improvements BEFORE you start showing it. These improvements are called “staging” and it has been know that staging a home helps it to sell quicker.
4. Offer Incentives: Offering to pay closing costs or including household items and appliances can bring the up-front expenses of buying your home into range for a first time home buyer who is just barely able to make the down payment, mortgage points and fees.

There you have it! Apply these tips to sell your home fast as the peak home selling and buying season is here.