Real Estate Nightmares: How To Avoid A Bad Neighborhood
December 6, 2018 Buying Real Estate,Real Estate
It is often shocking how many people actually end up moving to a bad neighborhood in a bad part of town just because they didn’t do their research. It is understandable that when you’re relocating to a new area it is hard to find a neighborhood that isn’t considered low-end or bad. How can you avoid those bad areas?
Before you even start searching for real estate in a city or town, go there first! Never assume that just because the picture of the home’s listing looks good, the area is safe. There are numerous listings that are made to look great on purpose in neighborhoods that have a crime rate that’s off the charts.
Look at the property prices in the neighborhood. If there are a lot of cheap homes for sale, or too many foreclosures that appear fishy, avoid the area! It is very rare that you end up moving to a decent neighborhood that offers homes for a few thousand dollars. Remember, if it’s too good to be true, it usually is!
Check out the local newspaper and see what types of news get reported. If an area is bad or not somewhere you would raise your family, you will see that the newspaper is filled with arrests, murders, fires etc. This helps you get a feel for the local crime rate.
Speaking of crime rates, go online and use one of the many websites available to research the crime rate in a given area. These statistics will never be one hundred percent accurate, but they should give you a good feel of what to avoid. Different types of crimes get rated differently, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that crimes are committed there.
Use Google Earth to scope out the area overhead. Bad neighborhoods will usually be located next to rusted train tracks, factories, tire businesses or landmarks that appear to be old and abandoned. This may not always be the case, but it is rare to find manicured lawns next to an abandoned warehouse.
Check the Internet for images of the city or town. There will be a couple of pictures usually uploaded by businesses made to look great, but the rest were usually taken by civilians. If you see a lot of graffiti or abandoned buildings on those photographs, it can be a dead giveaway that your chosen neighborhood is not for you.
If you have children, make sure that the school districts in the area have good reviews. Use the Internet to your advantage and read reviews of the school districts and schools from other parents. How well a school performs is often dictated by the type of individuals that inhabit the neighborhoods.
Many people are conned each year into purchasing a property away from home in a neighborhood that resembles a nightmare. No respectable person wants to reside somewhere where the crime rates are shot through the roof and graffiti decorates every surface. Consider what you have learned from this article to ensure you don’t get stuck with a piece of real estate that could cause you sleepless nights for years to come!