subject: Purchasing A Home - Researching The Best School Districts [print this page] Purchasing A Home - Researching The Best School Districts
When evaluating a prospective neighborhood, it's essential to think about the standards of the nearby school district, appreciation rate, pricing, demographics, amenities, nearby government services, shopping, entertainment, and other features. When it comes to selecting a neighborhood, you have to prioritize the features that are most important to you. What amenities do you unequivocably need to have? What features eliminate prospective properties off your list? In most circumstances, you'll have to investigate a neighborhood thoroughly to come up with enough information to make an informed choice. One essential point to keep in mind is don't blindly accept an agent's opinion at face value. Be certain you focus on facts and check them out for yourself. As you work with a real estate agent, it is simple to ask questions regarding "how good is this place?" What's the crime rate like? How much time does it take to travel to the nearest mall? How great is the public school district? When you take the time to evaluate these questions, you will comprehend how subjective the replies can be. What do you consider to be a great community? How much crime is too much? Is a twenty minute drive to the nearby mall a short drive? In order for you to get informative answers, you will need to ask more detailed questions. By using this technique, you get much more revealing answers from your real estate agent. General replies telling you a commute to the nearest regional mall is a breeze won't give you the same detail as, "Traveling to the mall between the hours of 10am and 3pm will usually consume twenty minutes." For a buyer who is used to driving 90 minutes to their job in downtown Los Angeles, a 20 minute drive may seem like a breeze. Nevertheless, to a Montana school teacher who can walk to the office in 10 minutes, a twenty minute drive by freeway might be a headache. As for the crime rate, a single parent mother who plans to bicycle to her graveyard shift might define crime differently from a 6'2" 32-year old bodybuilder who's a black belt in karate. By discussing specific details with your real estate agent, you'll reduce the chances of miscommunication among the two of you. If you use a professional real estate agent, he or she will strive hard to find a property that suits your specific needs. You may be able to help them serve you more efficiently by asking them questions they can offer facts for you to check out. Answer such as "I believe Orange High School has a great reputation", isn't as informative as "40% of all Orange High School seniors moved on to Ivy League schools." Although a personal opinion might be accurate, it is not as helpful as detailed factual statements that leave minimal leeway for misunderstandings.
