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Real Estate
Preapprove Your Neighborhood “The most valuable advice you’ll receive is to buy a neighborhood before you buy a house.” • Evaluate the real estate environment: What is the average selling price of a house and length of time on the market? What is the median home value? What are the pricing trends over the past year? What is the owner-to-rental ratio? How many FOR SALE signs do you see? Are the houses well maintained? What do the cars look like? • Think about the community: How do the demographics match your expectations? What are the median age and median household income? • Review the school statistics: Check student-teacher ratios, expenditures per pupil, graduation rates, and test rankings. Ask about special enrichment programs, extracurricular and summer activities. Meet with principals and members of parent organizations. Ask about transportation services. • Assess community services: Find out about street maintenance and waste removal. What type of community recreation is available? Talk with the police department about crime statistics: How do they compare with those of other areas, and what is the trend? • What public transportation is available? • Listen to the environment: How close are major highways? Do you hear airplanes or other traffic noises? • Visit city hall and inquire about planned zoning changes and construction. Where are industrial sites? Are any hazardous waste sites nearby? Martha Webb, is the founder/president of BCW video and an award-winning producer of real estate marketing tools. Best-selling author of Dress Your House For Success and Finding Home. © Copyright 2004-2007 by ColoradoHomeLoans.com |
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