Moving to a new community can be exciting if you do due diligence to make sure it’s one where you’ll feel comfortable living. Once you’ve decided you want to move, spend some time researching the right neighborhoods on sites like calgaryhousefinder.ca. You’ll be able to figure out what kind of down payment you’ll need, and which part of town is right for you.
Spend a Day There
Spending a day in the neighborhood is probably the best way to get a feel for what it will be like to live there. Go for a walk, and eat out a couple of times. Talk with the locals and ask what they like about living there and what they enjoy doing there. Visit the parks to see if they are family and dog-friendly.
Go for a Virtual Tour
If you want to check out a neighborhood from a distance, it’s easy to “walk” down the streets with Google Maps. You can’t get a feel for the people this way, but you can easily see the conditions of the properties. The curb appeal of homes and business, speak volumes.
Read the School Reports
Whether or not you have children, the quality of schools is essential because you’ll be living near, working for, and doing business with these families. Underperforming schools can signify a lack of focus on education, which is an indicator that the people in the neighborhood do not value it.
Read the Crime Reports
It’s easy to see what kind of crimes and their frequency by searching on sites like crimemapping.com. Some neighborhoods are susceptible to low crimes and misdemeanors, while others may be prone to more severe crimes. Once you asses the data, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether or not living there is worth the risk.
Understand the Cost of Living
The cost to live in an area involves expenses such as gas prices, accessibility to competitive retail stores, utilities, property taxes, and sales taxes. When you’re in the area, drive around to see what the gas prices are. Gas prices are especially important if you will be commuting. Research if there are any big box stores or clubs where you can easily pick up necessities for low prices at convenient hours.
The number of online tools is in the buyer’s favor. Furthermore, if you’re working with a realtor, he or she can also be a useful resource. Many factors come together to make up a great new neighborhood.
