Tips for Choosing the Right Neighborhood for Your Home

A big decision when buying a home is choosing the right neighborhood. Here are four essential things to consider in your neighborhood hunt, brought to you by Patriot Title Agency Inc. in Canton.

When choosing the right neighborhood for your home, there are many things to consider. Make sure to protect your investment with title insurance from Patriot Title Agency Inc. Give them a call today at 330-479-3000 and speak to one of their agents to learn more about the title-related services they have to offer.

Think About the Location

One of the most important steps when choosing the right neighborhood is deciding what location works best for you. Your home’s location affects many parts of your day-to-day life, such as commuting, amenities, shopping, and recreational opportunities. Your ideal home location will reflect your lifestyle or the lifestyle you want to have. Some questions you could ask yourself to determine if its the best neighborhood for you to live are:

• What would my daily commute be like?
• Is the house near restaurants, shopping centers, or nightlife?
• Can I easily access a hiking area?

Location tip: If you already have an area of town picked out, visit at different times of the day and days of the week to give yourself an idea of what it would be like living there.

Is the Area Well Connected?

Another essential aspect of the location of your potential home is if it’s well connected. While your primary method of transportation might be your car, others might choose to move around through other means of transport, like bicycles or public transportation. Having alternate means of transportation is also a great option in an emergency or an unexpected broken-down car.

Get Informed About Property Taxes

Property taxes are another aspect of choosing the right neighborhood for you. Understanding the property taxes in the area is crucial as it will be an ongoing payment once you close on your home. Your tax assessor or real estate agent can help you with this information and let you know the tax projection for the next five years. This way, you can add it to your home-buying budget and avoid being surprised once it’s time to pay them.

Finding a reliable title company is essential when planning to buy a house. If you don’t have one yet, call Patriot Title Agency Inc. at 330-479-3000 and speak to an agent for information about title insurance, title searches, and many other excellent services they have to offer.

Take the School District Into Consideration

School districts are another vital aspect when choosing the right neighborhood. This is especially important if you have children or plan to have them soon. For many parents, a bad school district might deter them from buying property. If you’re already looking at an area and schools are a concern, you might want to take a closer look at the schools in the area, especially things like:

• Class sizes
• After school activities
• School environments
• Sports teams

Schools are also a great way to gauge the community around the neighborhood and can be an essential aspect of feeling welcome and finding groups of people with similar interests to form friendships and safety nets. Lastly, knowing what transportation looks like for the school is essential. Will your child walk to and from school, or is a bus service available? Is the school far away or is it a comfortable walking distance? These might not be that important if your child is still young, but it might be necessary for the future, so being informed can’t hurt.

Ask About its Amenities

Lastly, knowing about the amenities in the neighborhood is another aspect that can help you choose or pass on a neighborhood. Think of a neighborhood as an extension of your lifestyle or of the lifestyle you wish to have. For example, if you have small children, you might want to look for a neighborhood with parks and playgrounds; if you’re someone who is into hiking, you might want to find somewhere that’s near hiking trails; or if you’re into running, you might want to look for a place where you feel safe and comfortable running at different times in the day. Choosing a neighborhood based on your lifestyle can help you keep up with your hobbies and interests.

We hope this information helps you choose the right neighborhood for your new home. When going through the process of looking at homes, don’t forget that title insurance is essential in protecting your investment. For more information, call Patriot Title Agency Inc. at 330-479-3000 today!