Paradise or The Pits?
You’ve narrowed down the area and found the perfect Ann Arbor home. But have you really gotten to know the neighborhood? What seems like a utopia at first glance, may be the opposite once you do a little research. Here are a few tips for getting to know your prospective neighborhood and find your paradise.
- Make Multiple Visits. See the neighborhood at different times of day and on different days of the week. What seems like a quiet place during the day, may be filled with barking dogs and highway noise at night.
- Drive the Surrounding Area. Is there a power station or landfill nearby that you weren’t aware of? If you aren’t already familiar with the surrounding area, you may discover hidden aversions.
- Points of Interest. Find out where the nearest grocery stores, banks, and restaurants you frequent are located in relation to your subdivision. If you like to run to the store often, you may want your favorite close by. Where is the nearest hospital and fire station? Are there parks nearby? These are important things to consider in relation to your lifestyle.
- Crime Reports. Check out the local crime reports. You may think a nice country subdivision or a well-populated condo complex is the safest place to live, but a crime report may tell you something different.
- Neighborhood Market Statistics. You’ve probably already figured out the value of your home based on recent sales in the subdivision, but what about past statistics? How have home values fared over the last 5-10 years? Are values rising or falling? This is important information to consider based on the amount of time you plan on living in the neighborhood.
- Extras Amenities. Find out if the type of cable and internet services you want are available. If you not, find out what is and the costs involved with changing your service.
The Bouma Group has been helping Ann Arbor home buyers find their perfect home for over 20 years. We’ve come across almost every type of home buying situation and know from experience how to navigate this difficult real estate market. We know Ann Arbor, Dexter, and Saline Neighborhoods – we’re the only Ann Arbor Realtors that have already done the work for you! We’ve collected the data and created Neighborhood Pages and the Subdivision Hotline with subdivision amenities, photos, listing and sold data, market reports and more! For more information on home buying and selling from the experts, be sure to visit our Ann Arbor Real Estate website and check us out on Facebook today!