When choosing a neighborhood it’s important to consider a variety of factors. Amenities, the HOA, lot layout, the community design-build, location, participating builders, access to schools, conveniences, safety, neighbors, and much more come into play. A particular house may be appealing but you need to do your homework regarding the neighborhood.
For example, you may have a great neighborhood that you’ve discovered while driving through a particular community, but it could have a high crime rate, low-value appreciation, an overzealous Homeowner Association, and fees, or it could be located within 2 miles of a local wastewater treatment plant with odors undetected at the time of day you drove through it.
While you may have already secured a Realtor, finding the right neighborhood is ultimately going to be your choice. You are the one who will live there and only you can decide if this is a place that you want to live! There are several things you can do on your end to rule out or choose potential neighborhoods.
The first thing to consider is the community developer. Before looking at builders, spec homes, or homes for sale consider who developed the neighborhood. Study their credentials. See what other neighborhoods they have developed in your area and region. Go on their website and see what they are all about. Check out the Google Reviews of the neighborhood you are considering. It all starts with the developer. Every developer has complaints, but if you see multiple negative reviews about their quality, layout, design, HOA, etc., you may want to broaden your search.
Before you move into a deed-restricted neighborhood with an HOA request a copy of the HOA guidelines so you know upfront what your limitations and guidelines are going to be. This is very important because deed-restricted communities have very specific guidelines and requirements. You have to determine which is right for you and your family.
Check the crime rates and police response for the community you are considering. This can be done through a pretty generic search on Google. If you see a high crime or multiple police response pattern to the specific neighborhood you may want to consider another development. Only you can make that decision.
Research the schools in the area if you have school-aged children. Your realtor cannot comment on this subject but you can determine if the school district is acceptable to your desires.
Check out the amenities the neighborhood has to offer. Is there a lot of gathering and commons space? What about the pool? Workout facilities? Dog parks? Neighborhood gatherings for specific holidays and events? Don’t forget to pay attention to nearby land vacancies, or a property listed for sale. You could move into a great neighborhood and the next thing you know the adjacent farm property could be available for retail development directly across from the neighborhood you are considering. Do your homework!
Other things to consider?
Review the garbage pickup schedule and reviews. Google internet service providers and determine if you have multiple choices for Internet and TV access. Ascertain the average costs of heating and cooling, water, and other utilities in the neighborhood. And don’t hesitate to talk to residents in the neighborhood. Tell the neighbors you are considering purchasing an existing home or building in the neighborhood and invite their feedback.
Scan the online neighborhood forums such as NextDoor, Facebook, and other social media applications that contain neighborhood information. Check out the BBB rating of the builders. Talk to the builders and check out their work, warranties, and Google Reviews. Ask the hard questions.
Finding the right neighborhood and vetting specific builders is the lion’s share of purchasing an existing or new home in a specific neighborhood. At the end of the day, the decision is yours to make, and being able to say you did your homework is important.
At TRG Communities we have been designing award-winning imaginative neighborhoods and communities for many years. Our goal is to build communities, not just neighborhoods. Everything we do in our design is intentional with the end goal of resident enjoyment, pleasure, satisfaction, benefits, and increased home value. We provide value in our neighborhoods through intentional design-build, amenities, generous green space, working closely with inspectors, our hand-selected, and fully vetted builders as well as a close working relationship with the HOA. Our creative process takes the long view of how the neighborhood is going to look and feel upon project completion. The goal is to provide residences that will only increase in value as the project progresses through completion. As residents have to relocate we want their home’s value to increase with age.
TRG Communities creates imaginative places for homeowners to enjoy a wide array of amenities and living space. We design communities instead of houses and neighborhoods! Our desire is for the total enjoyment and satisfaction of our residents.
Contact us at http://trgcommunities.com/contact