Choosing a new neighborhood for your family is not easy, especially if you’re moving long distance. Doing a little research beforehand can help you choose a neighborhood you’ll love for years to come. Here are 4 tips for finding a family-friendly neighborhood.

Find the Best Schools
The schools in a given area say a lot about the surrounding community. A great website to help in your research is Greatschools.org. Greatschools rates each school in the nation on a scale of 1-10 based on their standardized test scores. This makes it helpful to find areas that have high-performing schools for your children to attend.

Look Up Crime Rates
Check local police websites to determine which areas have the best crime rates. Most counties nowadays have a crime map that will show you the types of crimes being committed in any given area. Don’t be surprised when your desired neighborhood has crime. Every neighborhood in the country has crime, but what matters is the type of crimes that are being committed. For example, theft of a lawn chair is not anywhere comparable to armed robbery. Another great resource is NeighborhoodScout.com. This website shows you all kinds of data for neighborhoods, including crime rates, average income levels of residents, resident age levels, as well as average number of children.

Look Up Community Amenities
Choosing a family-friendly neighborhood means finding an area that has a lot of amenities for you and your family. Check local county websites and find out what types of extra-curricular activities are offered for your kids, and for adults. Find out where the nearest parks and pools are, as well as stores and restaurants for the adults. When picking a new community, it’s important to consider the needs of all family members and choose a community that has the most to offer.

Talk to Neighbors and Locals
When possible, talk to neighbors. Neighbors are the best way to get insight about a particular area. They might say they absolutely love the area, and they never want to leave, or they might tell you a few things they don’t like. Talking to locals is the best way to really get to know the good and the bad about a specific area. You could also talk to a real estate agent from a reputable agency, like The Clement Group at RE/MAX Properties, Inc., as real estate agents typically know all about the areas they serve.

Finding a new neighborhood for your family can be an overwhelming prospect. But by doing your research on schools, crime, and the community, as well as talking to neighbors, you’ll hopefully be able to find a neighborhood that you’ll want to call home for years to come.

Relocation Destination : Tips for Finding A Family-Friendly Neighborhood by Kara Masterson | Realty Biz News