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When you buy a house, you also invest in the neighborhood that surrounds
it. The identity of a neighborhood may be as important to property
values as the individual properties themselves. In a planned
community, strictly controlled architecture governs a carefully
crafted identity block after block. In a rural town, tree-lined
streets and an old-fashioned town square preserve a disappearing
way of life. In a large city, an older neighborhood's ethnic history
has shaped its character and often drives its rejuvenation. It's
important to know where a neighborhood has been¡ªand
where it's going¡ªbefore you decide to buy.
1. Start with Statistics
It's now possible to get
valuable neighborhood statistics online. Crime statistics, school
scores and demographic information are all readily available. Want
to feel right at home? Let HomeAdvisor show you neighborhoods
that are most like your current one. Or you can set
your own criteria and search according to your preferences,
and find the right neighborhood for you. This means that you don't
have to depend on anecdotal information to learn about crime or
the quality of the schools.
2. Check with City Hall
You can get any kind of town planning document from your town or
county's zoning and/or planning authorities. If you want to be sure
that the rural hideaway you just bought stays rural, check with
these officials. They start planning large projects like major road
construction years from the actual start date.
3. Research the Resale Potentiall
The quality of the neighborhood will play a big role in your home's
resale value--whether you live in the least or most expensive house
on the block. Check
out HomeAdvisor's neighborhood finder for job growth and home
appreciation numbers in the area you're interested in. With this
tool, you can also find and compare any two neighborhoods against
the regional average. Get a list of homes for sale in the neighborhood
from your agent to determine how many days they've been on the market.
If properties haven't been selling quickly, find out whether the
market is slow or if there are neighborhood issues that may make
resale difficult.
4. Get to Know the Community
It may sound like a clich, but nobody knows a neighborhood like
the people who live and work there every day. Visit a neighborhood
on your own at different times of day and night. Talk to neighbors.
Visit nearby schools and local businesses. Subscribe to the local
paper. Small local papers can be chock-full of information that
gives you a feel for the neighborhood or community. If you depend
on public transportation, find out how accessible it is in this
area. Drive to and from the house from several different directions,
so you see both the scenic and not-so-scenic routes.
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Equal Housing Opportunity 
