Real Estate Nightmares: How To Avoid A Bad Neighborhood

It's amazing how many people move into a horrible neighborhood in an awful part of town simply because they did not do their own research first.

It is certainly understandable if you're relocating to a completely different area it might be difficult to find a neighborhood that is not regarded as bad or low-end.

How can you stay away from those low quality areas?

Go Visit The Area

Before you begin searching for real estate in any city or town, go there to visit! Don't assume that just because the picture of the house looks good in the listing, that the area is safe.

There are many listings all over the country, in neighborhoods that have a crime rate that's off the charts, that are made to look great on purpose.

Look At Prices

Start by looking at the property prices in the neighborhood. If there are quite a few cheap homes for sale, or there are too many foreclosures that appear a little bit fishy, avoid the area!

It would be rare, indeed, that you end up finding a decent neighborhood that offers homes for a few thousand dollars. Remember, if it appears too good to be true, it probably is!

Pick Up A Local Newspaper

Check out the local newspaper and see what types of news stories get reported.

If an area is bad, or not where you would like to raise your family, you will see that the newspaper is filled with arrests, murders, fires, etc. This will help you understand the local crime rate.

Research The Local Crime Rates

Speaking of crime rates, go online and use one of the many websites available to research the crime rate in a given area.

These statistics will never be one hundred percent accurate, but they should give you a pretty good idea of what areas to avoid. Different types of crimes get rated differently, but that doesn't eliminate the fact that crimes are frequently committed there.

View The Neighborhood From Above

Use Google Earth to scope out the area from above. Bad neighborhoods are often located next to rusted train tracks, factories, tire businesses, dumps, or other buildings and properties that appear to be old, neglected, or abandoned.

This may not always be the case, but it is rare to find manicured lawns next to an abandoned warehouse, for example.

Look At Other's Photos

Check the Internet for images of the city or town. There will usually be some pictures uploaded by businesses that are made to look great, but the rest are usually taken by civilians, people who live there or who are passing through.

If you see a lot of graffiti or abandoned buildings on those photographs, it can be a giveaway that the neighborhood you're looking at is not right for you.

Research The Schools

If you have children, it's a good idea to make sure that the schools in the area have good reviews. Again, use the Internet to your advantage. Read reviews of the school districts and schools from other parents. How well a school performs is often dictated by the type of individuals that live in the neighborhoods surrounding the school.

Each year, many people enter their own nightmare when they are conned into purchasing a property in a neighbood they are unfamiliar with. No respectable person wants to reside somewhere where the crime rates are through the roof and graffiti decorates every surface.

Consider what you have learned from this article to ensure you don't get stuck with a piece of real estate that could cause you sleepless nights for years to come!