Home Buying: Finding Your Dream Neighborhood

The home of your dreams often has a lot less to do with the size of the master bath than, say, the area that it's located in, the schools nearby and the community that the home is a part of. People often forget when shopping for their future home that much of their life will be lived outside of those neatly painted walls. When it comes to choosing the perfect home, it's usually more important to take a close look at the world surrounding the home including nearby parks, stores, neighbors and schools.

Neighborhood Considerations

• Quality of Schools: You can consider a variety of factors here including the school's location, average test scores, college-bound percentages and spending per student. Gather information about the subjects studied, the teachers' backgrounds and the quality of the school lunches. Check the area to see if alternative school options such as Montessori are available if you prefer to offer your children a more creative environment.
• Education and Income Profile: Consider the household income, education level, occupation and family type of a given neighborhood. You can find some of this information on The U.S. Census Bureau Fact Finder Website. You can also ask people living in the neighborhood and your realtor. If you're single and not intending to have kids, a family oriented community with playgrounds is probably not your best bet. On the other hand, families might do well to avoid communities where a lot of people rent or groups of students live.
• Amenities: This can include a whole range of options from museums to bakeries. Spending Sunday mornings walking two blocks to buy homemade donuts and coffee can be the makings of a dream home so consider what you really love to experience and choose a neighborhood that makes this a possibility.

If you're thinking of purchasing a home in the East Lansing or Lansing areas of Michigan and would like to learn about the right neighborhood for you, please contact me through my website at MyRealtorRob. As an East Lansing Realtor and resident, I can point out popular communities, desirable area amenities and homes that are in your price range that also fit your neighborhood profile.