It’s Halloween today. Whatever your Halloween plans are, your experience will depend heavily on the neighborhood you live in. Will you have to buy Halloween candy for trick-or-treaters? Are you going to be the only one decorating on your block? Will you feel comfortable letting your kids roam the streets? Will you have a place to go to sport your fancy costume?
There’s no way to answer these questions based on a lease, an address, or a landlord or realtor’s word. If you’re moving, the only way to make sure that you end up living in a comfortable and safe neighborhood is to check it out yourself. Cruise the streets, hit up the stores and restaurants you would expect to frequent, and talk to your soon-to-be neighbors.
If you can’t physically explore out your new neighborhood, use the Internet. Check the local police station’s website for crime rates and locations; read the local newspaper; “roam” the streets on Google Street View; and use sites like Yelp to see what’s around you and what others think of it.
Take the time to check out your new home so that your decision to move there doesn’t end up haunting you on Halloween or any other day of the year.