Buying a home is a major financial and lifestyle undertaking. To avoid the risk of investing so much in a new life only to discover that you live on a noisy highway or next to an industrial complex, do a thorough neighborhood check. This simple yet effective checklist combines personal observations with data you can gather online, so that you know what to look out for and what questions to ask.
Start by evaluating a neighborhood’s communication systems and community involvement. Signs of active involvement, like neighborhood watch groups, HOAs, and National Night Out events, indicate that residents care about safety. Also, be sure to visit neighborhoods at different times of day and week to get a feel for their atmosphere. Look for things like well-lit streets and sidewalks, a lack of graffiti or trash, and proximity to emergency services, including hospitals and fire stations.
In addition to community involvement, look for neighborhood alert systems that encourage two-way interaction between neighbors and law enforcement. Modern digital tools like neighborhood crime watch apps and platforms enable residents to report incidents and suspicious activity via user-friendly, mobile reporting and alert systems. They work best in tandem with home security systems and provide a powerful tool to deter criminal activity.
When looking at neighborhood alerts, be wary of systems that blindly notify homeowners about 911 Calls for Service without providing context or sourcing. Using raw crime data like this can be misleading and inaccurate, especially when you consider how often false alarms are called into 911.