House Hunting, Neighborhood Shopping - What to Look For

Before choosing a home for you and your family, you should consider more than just the size and layout of the home or the community. There are several other factors you should address before making a final decision about where to live. Some of these points may have a huge impact on you are your family and others may have none at all, but they are certainly worth addressing.

SCHOOL DISTRICT

If you have children, you may want to take a day and visit the schools or do some research on the school district to ensure your children will receive a valuable education if they will attend the local public school. Each district will have a different level of sufficiency and safety. Sometimes you can get a better feel for the school just by visiting for a tour. Pay attention to the cleanliness of the school and the mannerisms of the students. You might even ask some local business owners if they have an opinion about the better schools in the area. Getting local feedback can be a better measure sometimes than asking the biased opinion of the school directly.

GENERAL SAFETY

When shopping for a home, look as closely at the subdivision as you would the home. Does the community have safety features like sidewalks and streetlights? Is the main road a dead end or is it a drive through community that could encourage unwanted traffic. Will your kids be safe on the streets, riding their bikes, or at the bus stop.

When we lived in Clearwater, Florida, my daughter was dropped off at a bus stop that required her to cross a 4 lane busy road. I refused to let my daughter ride the bus because that stop was not only unsafe, but way too far from the house. Later that year, a girl was killed crossing that road after getting off the school bus at that stop. Consider the stop, as well as your child's abilities.

SAFETY FROM STRANGERS

You should always know a little bit about the people who live in your area, especially when you have small children susceptible to predators. With the heightened awareness about sex crimes and abductions in conjunction with the information age, there is no reason we should not be aware of our surroundings. Check your states sex offender registry. For Missouri, go to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Sex Offender Registry and choose "agree" to disclaimer. Choose "Search" at the top and then enter your ZIP code. The registry will provide you will a list of offenders in that area with their exact address. Again, the location of bus stops can be very important, and teaching your child proper safety tips can be too.

ACCESS TO SHOPPING

Convenience is not always an important factor for everyone. If you are a busy working mother like I am, every minute counts. Being close to certain stores, doctors, and banking is very important for me. Some people can't be far enough away from the daily grind. Whatever your flavor is, you will want to consider how each community measures up to your needs. Finding a private subdivision with a great view that is minutes from shopping is probably ideal for most and can be hard to find, but in St. Charles, Missouri, there are several subdivisions that are ideal like this. You just have to know where to look.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Because St. Charles is growing rapidly, it is also expanding with lanes being added to busy back roads and highways being redirected for better traffic flow. You will want to consider the City and County plans for road construction. That can be as easy as calling the local planning department or Department of Transportation and asking a few questions about the area you are considering. Just ask if there are any areas that could be potential construction zones over the next 10 years and see what they are willing to offer you as a response.

SURROUNDING SUBDIVISIONS

Once you have found a community that measures up to your families needs, you will want to consider the subdivisions surroundings. Busy roadways, unpleasant businesses or smelly factories, or dilapidated subdivisions could also be a deterrent. There are several communities in St. Charles that would make great subdivisions but they are surrounded by other subdivisions with less desirable homes and residents. If you are buying a home, this will hurt your resale value in the future. You may be able to get a better price for the home, but when you go to sell, you will be on the other side of that deal and may have to give a little and lose some potential equity if your buyer comes to the same conclusion.