Those in the market for a home have probably heard about the three most important aspects of a home — location, location, and location. Drilling down a bit, the neighborhood itself can represent security, property values, good environments, and more. For some tips on locating the neighborhood where you'll feel most at home, read on.

Know About Deed Restrictions and Homeowners Associations (HOA)

There is comfort in knowing that your new home is governed by lots of rules to keep things nice and uniform. If that sounds good, be sure you understand what the rules are before you make an offer on a home in such a neighborhood. Be ready to follow the rules, whether you agree with them or not, or pay the price. With deed restrictions and an HOA in charge, you are under a legal obligation to abide by the bylaws. On the other hand, these types of neighborhoods may come with more perks than you are used to. Often, neighborhoods with HOAs also offer owners lots of fun amenities like a community pool and more.

Know About Commute Times

Know how many miles and how much time you are willing to travel when you want to shop for groceries and other things. Do a run-through back and forth to your workplace during the same times you expect to be commuting so you'll know what to expect. Likewise, consider how far away things like your yoga classes, doctor, daycare center, and more are from your new neighborhood. For an easy way to gauge distances, use a mapping app. Just plug in the potential address and see how far away (or close by) your important destinations are.

Know About the Neighborhood Identity

Town and cities have identities, and so do neighborhoods. Some are family-friendly, for instance, and some are geared toward retired people. This is where a good real estate agent really comes in handy. Some neighborhoods make their identity fairly obvious to observers with the website or brochures (if it's a new development). Let your agent know what type of environment you are seeking, and let them do the work of finding those places for you. Do some thinking about what you want, first, though.

Know About the School Situation

Do you have school-aged children? Whether the answer is yes or no, you still should be concerned about school quality in a neighborhood. You might decide that a private school is right for your child, but if your public school system is bad, you may find your home more difficult to sell later on.

A single-family real estate agent can help you find homes in your ideal neighborhoods.

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