The Sights, Smells, And Sounds Of Choosing A Neighborhood
When buying a home, smart buyers consider not only the structure, but also the suitability of the neighborhood. Many factors determine whether a neighborhood is suitable for a particular family, but did you know that you can evaluate a neighborhood based on its sights, smells, and sounds? Here is a brief overview of what such an evaluation may entail:
Sights
When analyzing the sights of a neighborhood, you should consider both the things you would like to see and those you don't want to see in your neighborhood. The common things everybody loves to see include clean streets, well-tended yards, well-lit streets, and properly maintained houses. However, you may have your favorite sights that others don't necessarily hold dear, such as tree-lined streets, water views, kids playing outside, and lots of green areas.
Some of these are things you can notice at any time of the day while others are easily noticed at specific times. For example, if you live near a water body, you can tell whether or not you can see the water from your bedroom. However, you will have to visit at dusk to confirm whether the streets are well lit.
Sounds
As with the sights, you need to know the sounds you love and those you don't care for to help you choose the right neighborhood. For example, if you are an animal lover, you will be pleased to hear the sounds of dogs barking and birds chirping in your neighborhood. On the other hand, if you are a light sleeper, you can easily be put off by the sounds of airplanes (if the area is close to an airport), factories that run round the clock, and bars that open late into the night.
Smells
Bad smells are worse than bad views because smells are more difficult to block than views. You may block a dull view by drawing your curtains, but the smells usually permeate through. For you to know how an area smells you have actually to visit it; it's difficult to deduce smells from real estate flyers, online listings or even virtual tours of properties. A walk through the neighborhood will tell you whether the local river is polluted and emitting an obnoxious odor or the local winds are strong enough to bring the smells of a distant dumpsite to the neighborhood.
A realtor can help you understand the property and community you are interested. A huge advantage of working with a local real estate agent is that the agent knows the area well and can tell you more about the neighborhood.
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