5 Things to Look For in a New Neighborhood

When you’re on the home-buying market, location isn’t everything — but it’s a lot. Where you

live determines your commute, affects your social life, and shapes your children’s education.

You probably have your own dream neighborhoods in College Station — and there are probably

some you’d rather avoid. But in case you don’t — or if you want a little guidance as you do your

research — ABODO has put together a handy checklist of things to look for (and avoid) as you

examine possible settings for your new house.

1. Schools

If you don’t have kids and don’t plan on having them, skip to No. 2. But if you have a

family, or think you might have one eventually, schools should be a major part of

assessing a neighborhood. College Station only has one school district, but it has two

public high schools, two middle schools, two intermediate schools, and nine elementary

schools. Where you live will dictate which schools your child will attend. You can find

more info at csisd.org , and sites like Niche k12 offer testing statistics, user reviews, and

contact information for thousands of schools nationwide — public, private, and charter.

2. Property Taxes

When you move, you won’t only be paying for your house — you also pay tax on the

land it sits on. So it’s a good idea to know the general tax rate in a potential new

neighborhood. The Brazos County Tax Office provides tax information, forms, and

up-to-date valuations of homes through an online search function.

3. Crime Rate

Safety is a universally desirable neighborhood characteristic. Everyone wants the

freedom to go on an evening walk without worry, leave ground-floor windows open

overnight, and to lock bikes up outside without worrying about them getting stolen. To

check up on the crime rate of your potential neighborhood, you can peruse the College

Station PD’s Daily Significant Activity page or visit CrimeReports.com for a map of

offenses, as well as trends.

4. Natural Phenomena

We’re not talking about snowstorms or hurricanes here — both are unlikely in Brazos

County. But knowing if your new house is located in a floodplain isn’t as obvious, and

there are several creeks in the College Station area where flooding can occur. Flooding

is huge for homeowners, for a number of reasons: It lowers the property’s value,

destroys belongings, and is not typically covered by homeowner’s insurance. Flood

protection is a separate policy, and you’ll absolutely want it if your home is in a

floodplain. To check, visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center or FloodSmart.gov . The

City of College Station website also has a helpful list of area floodplains.

5. Eye Test

This neighborhood measure is the easiest to research: Just take a look around and see

how you feel. Do the yards look maintained? Are there people outside, enjoying the

area and engaging in the community? Are the streets clean? How are the noise and

traffic levels? Also stop by the neighborhood at night to see if anything changes. It’s a

simple test, but it shouldn’t be underestimated.

Myke Leatham, Broker Brazos County Realty, LLC
13464 I and GN Rd, College Station, TX  77845
http://www.CollegeStationHomes.com Office:  979-693-0201 Email:  [email protected]

Source:  ABODO