Most home buyers are looking not just for their ideal home, but also an ideal neighborhood.
But what makes an ideal neighborhood? What should you evaluate or consider when you are trying to determine where you want to live?
Here are some general guidelines that might help you evaluate your options.
Community – In some ways, the most important part of a neighborhood is, of course, neighbors. These are people who you will meet at the grocery store, school and bank. Make sure its an area where you feel comfortable.
Boundaries – Neighborhood can be defined by physical or infrastructural boundaries— such as a train track, a river or a road. Neighborhoods might correspond to ZIP codes, school districts, police precincts—or not.
Lifestyle and amenities – What some mean when they ask “How’s the neighborhood?” is: How’s the lifestyle? Is it safe? Are there parks, restaurants, and good schools?
Architecture – Uniform architecture gives a neighborhood a certain feeling; if you wander far from that feeling, you’re no longer in the neighborhood. Newer developments, though, often purposely include a multitude of housing type. If architectural uniformity defines older neighborhoods, new, planned ones tend toward multiplicity, of housing types, amenities, and people.
If you need help finding your ideal neighborhood and your dream home in NWA, contact me. I’ll be happy to help.