5 Tips To Find The Right Neighborhood For Your Family

When you are moving to a new location, you have a long list of decisions to make. One of the most important decisions is choosing where to live. The right neighborhood can improve the quality of life for you and your family. Following these tips will help you find the perfect neighborhood for your family.

1. Research the crime rate

When it comes to choosing a neighborhood, nothing is more important than safety. You want to know that your children will be safe and secure when you tuck them into bed each night.
Thankfully, it is easier than ever to research the crime rate of each community. You can search for crimes by zip code, and you can also contact the local police department to gain safety information about the neighborhood that you are considering.

2. Visit at various times

It is also important to visit a potential neighborhood several times. Plan your visits at different times of the day and evening. A popular neighborhood in Houston could look calm and peaceful during the weekdays, but is it still quiet and safe at midnight on the weekends?
Plan to drive around the neighborhood in the morning, afternoon and evening, and also visit once on a weekday and once on a weekend.

3. Chat with the residents

Perhaps the best way to find out about the intangible aspects of a neighborhood is to try to chat with the current residents. Are the residents friendly and welcoming? Are they generally content with the neighborhood and what it has to offer?
If you feel awkward knocking on the doors of the current residents, try to engage some people in conversation while they are outside walking their dogs or at the neighborhood park.

4. Check out the neighborhood schools

If you have young children, their education is one of your top priorities. Before you move into a neighborhood, you need to find out which schools your children would attend.
Your realtor at UrbanLeasing.com can help you find this information, or you can also contact the local school board for assistance.

5. Look for sidewalks

It might sound strange, but the presence or lack of sidewalks can give you a good clue regarding the personality of the neighborhood. Wide, well-maintained sidewalks make it easy for residents to be active. You are more likely to see people taking walks and biking if the neighborhood is outfitted with sidewalks. This can be important to keep in mind if you want to be participating in these activities.