If your move happens in the same city you may already know the neighborhoods. If you are relocating to a new-to-you community, speak with a REALTOR® and rely on some recommendations to match want you are searching for.

Begin With: Narrowing Down Neighborhoods

Thinking in the broadest of possibilities answer each of these questions:

• How far are you willing to commute? Take into consideration how much time you spend driving. To work, to reach a medical appointment, for grocery shopping, or to visit family and friends. Location matters and keeping you near enough to the places you enjoy and where you work makes a difference.
• Do you need to be close to schools, parks, and community centers? Parents know the importance of researching school systems plus being within a reasonable distance of family activity centers for after-hours and weekend events.
• Do you want to be in a historic district or in a new build community? Aside from the obvious architectural styles differences comes varying living styles. New developments come with more modern features and some amenities such as common area pools, community centers, or gyms. Historic neighborhoods have character. These neighborhoods may be governed by strict standards to preserve accurate historical details or be part of historical home associations.
• Should you be near the center of downtown shopping, restaurants, and activities or would living in the suburbs work better? Determine if you’d like to be within walking distance or willing to drive. Some prefer to be steps away from all the activity even if that comes with late-night noise or fewer public parking spaces.

Pinpointing the Appeal of the Neighborhood

Now that you’ve started to profile your ideal neighborhood it’s time to zero in on what this community is really like. Let your senses be your guide and help you decide if this place if right for you.

Sight: Consider your first impressions. Take note of what you’ve noticed first. Things like curb appeal of the neighboring homes, if the homes up and down the street are well-maintained, and if you can visualize yourself living in this community. Make an effort to visit this street during both the day and the evening to get a feel for day-to-day community life. Observe if you see families, individual’s walking their dog, kids riding bikes, or neighbors out socializing. And lastly, look for any warning signs you should take heed of such as a lot of “for sale” signs, an abundance of rentals, abandoned buildings, vandalism, or graffiti tags. The warning signs can negatively impact your house’s value.

Sound: Listen. What do you hear? Birds and nature sounds. Noises from the highway, hospital, airport, train tracks, or a schoolyard. Decide which sounds work for you. If you see a neighbor out take a moment to say Hello and ask a question or two about the neighborhood and really listen to what is shared.

Smell: Give the neighborhood the sniff test. Odors ranging from pollution to the saltiness of the seaside, a nearby bakery, or the freshness of someone’s floral garden may greet you. A less than desired odor can certainly influence your decision.

Touch: If you place keeping in touch with family and friends high on your criteria, does this neighborhood keep you near enough to these people?

Taste: Would living here match your tastes in a living environment? Trust your instincts. If the community doesn’t feel right even if you can’t place your finger on why, trust this. Your REALTOR® will have more listings to show and will work with you to find a neighborhood that fits.

Hillary Gaynor has real estate listings spanning the New Hampshire seacoast and Southern Maine area. The Bean Group has listings in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Hillary is happy to refer anyone outside her area to a trusted agent in her extensive network. Helping you find a good neighborhood is what we do. We pride ourselves in knowing the communities and guiding buyers towards their future homes. Schedule an appointment to get started.