Homes for Sale - The Importance of a Good Neighborhood

May 9
19:24

2012

Aaliyah Arthur

Aaliyah Arthur

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When it comes to the world of homes for sale, there may be no worse scenario than realizing you've just bought property next door to the neighbor from hell. Here are some things to look out for when browsing.

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When it comes to the world of homes for sale,Homes for Sale - The Importance of a Good Neighborhood Articles there may be no worse scenario. You've found a house that meets every single one of your needs and desires. You excitedly sign the mortgage, move in, and are ready to enjoy the years of peace this house will bring to you and your family. Then it happens. It's Saturday night and you realize the people living next door like to party. Before you know it, you're embroiled in a feud. It is a nightmare scenario, but it's one that occurs far too often. And that's only one example of many ways that bad neighbors can ruin your new house purchase. Here are some things to look out for when shopping.

Property

You can often tell a good neighbor from a bad one just by looking at their property. A yard that is overgrown and filled with old cars or even children's toys just doesn't make a good impression. There's nothing wrong with some signs of life in a neighborhood and what is classy to some is going to come off as uptight to others. Still, you know what you value in a neighborhood. Look for it. If you see homes that look as though they are on the verge of being condemned, it's going to reflect poorly on your own property. This can affect your resale value, which is always something to consider.

The People

If you're looking for homes for sale at three in the afternoon on a Wednesday, you may not be getting an accurate picture of what the neighborhood is going to look like on Saturday night. If you're interested in a house, it's worth coming back at some odd times to see what you notice. Do not count on the current owners to give you an accurate picture of the neighborhood. If they live near terrible neighbors, their presence is probably one of the major reasons they want to get out. They aren't going to tell you what you're about to get into. They just want to save themselves.

Background Check

No, you probably shouldn't start snooping through mail so you can do individual background checks on your nearest neighbors. But you can run the entire community through a sex offender database, at least. Living within a short distance from someone on the database can bring your house's value down substantially. That's to say nothing of your own safety concerns when it comes to living near those with a criminal background. It may seem like it's going too far, but these resources are available to you. If you want to make a decision you won't regret when it comes to looking at homes for sale, you might want to take advantage of them.

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