What to Consider When Looking for the Perfect Neighborhood

When you find a home you’ve fallen in love with, it’s easy to upgrade or renovate numerous features down the line. You can repaint the walls, update the appliances, add new flooring, or even build a back patio and install a pool. You can’t, however, pick up the home and move it to a different location if you don’t like the neighborhood.

 

So, an essential component of every thorough home search is spending time looking for the right community to call your own, whether you’re seeking Boerne, San Antonio, or Fair Oaks Ranch real estate. Here are some aspects to consider as you search for the neighborhood that most closely fits your lifestyle and preferences.

Many communities offer shared public amenities that all residents can enjoy. It’s common for neighborhoods to have shared outdoor gathering spaces that may include pools, playgrounds, ponds, gardens, barbecue areas, or walking trails. Some neighborhoods also have onsite clubhouses and fitness centers accessible only to residents. Even if you don’t plan to use these amenities, they will add to your home’s resale value when it comes time to sell in the future.

The value of homes in your area directly impacts the price that you could command for your home someday. When an appraiser is assessing the market value of your home, a key statistic that they take into account is the value of other homes in your area. This is why you never want to buy the most expensive home in a particular neighborhood. You’ll reach a point of diminishing returns, no matter how many upgrades or renovations you make. Think about how the value of other homes in your area could impact the value of your home one day, and be sure that your property is in a neighborhood with plenty of appeal.

Some real estate seekers cherish peace and quiet, so they would prefer to live in a home that is far removed from the busiest and most populated parts of a city. Most prefer to have convenient access to grocery stores, hospitals, pharmacies, fire stations, and other essential services, however. That way, if you’re working on a recipe and realize you’re short a cup of milk or a few eggs, you won’t have to drive 30 minutes to visit the nearest grocery store. Research the distance between the community and these amenities to ensure that your commute will be stress-free.

Many neighborhoods have a Homeowners Association (HOA for short) that sets various rules and standards that all properties in the community must follow. They can often be the subject of frustration among residents in the area, but the presence of a strong HOA can increase your property value and your quality of life in the neighborhood.

 

A good HOA will put rules and regulations in place that will require each homeowner to keep up with their property to various standards. They will also share the responsibility of maintaining various neighborhood amenities, such as pools and gyms. They may even organize community events around special times of year to foster community engagement, such as food truck nights during the summer and festivals during the winter holiday season.

If you have school-aged children, you will want to learn everything you can about the quality of the local school system. You can read reviews online about average student test scores, achievements, and recent ratings the school has received for its teachers and administration. You may also want to research how close the local public schools are to your home.

One of the most significant benefits of living in a neighborhood is the relationships you’ll build with those who live close to you. You’ll see them often when you’re taking care of your yard on the weekends or spending time with your children playing outside. Over time, you’ll get to know enough about your neighbors that you can ask them about their work and their family lives. Perhaps you’ll even develop close enough relationships that you can get together for meals and share experiences.

 

Before you put in an offer on a home, consider knocking on your future neighbors’ doors and introducing yourself. Even if you don’t develop an instant friendship, you’ll have an excellent opportunity to hear more about the neighborhood from someone who lives there. You may also gain insight into how well the previous homeowner cared for the property.

Most people don’t want to live right next to the highway, but ideally, you would be close enough that you can quickly get around town and commute to work. Think about how easy it is to access major roads from the neighborhood. You might also want to look into any developments or construction projects planned for the area. The way the community looks today might be quite different from what you’ll see five to ten years down the road. You’ll want to learn about how the surrounding area could change in the coming years. Your agent will likely have insight into this topic, or they may be able to connect you with someone else who can provide the information that you’re looking for.