An area targeted to young professionals will differ greatly from a family-friendly neighborhood. For example, that locale with all of the bars and nightlife that you loved when you were not parents becomes less important when you have children. That’s when it’s critical to seek out an area with the ideal school district, low crime rates and a sense of community. Here, Trulia.com offers some factors to look for if you’re starting a family and in the market for a new home.
School district information
Choosing a school district is one of the weightiest decisions for many parents. Of course, you want a school that offers a high-functioning environment for learning. Start by checking K-12 school ratings on GreatSchools.com. Once you spot an area you like, visit the neighborhoods that feed into that school. GreatSchools’ ratings are based on test score, and although a good starting point, test scores aren’t the only factor you can use to determine the perfect school district. You also should visit the school in person, if possible, and be sure to ask plenty of questions.
Crime rates
Searching for a neighborhood with a low crime rate is just as important as baby-proofing your home and maintaining regular doctor’s visits. Although you might assume that the suburbs are safer than the city, that isn’t always the case. Check out the crime risk of any neighborhood by using any number of crime maps found on the Internet. This lets you explore the safety of an area, right down to reported incidents.
Strong community network
When you’re just starting a family, you’ll need to build a new network for yourself and your children. The best way to do this is to look for evidence of other families while hunting for a house. Are children playing on the sidewalks? Are there bikes or wagons in the front yard? Are families out together for a walk? All of these signs point to a thriving neighborhood for families—and lots of potential friends for you and your kids.
Streets drivers use as shortcuts
Pay attention to the kinds of streets in each neighborhood. If an area has a lot of long streets that drivers can use as shortcuts during rush hour, your peaceful neighborhood could resemble a NASCAR track twice a day. Avoid this by looking for horseshoe-shaped or cul-de-sac streets.
Sidewalks
This is an important family-friendly neighborhood feature. Not only do sidewalks give you the ability to stroll your baby around the neighborhood at a moment’s notice, but they also can be used to help your child learn how to ride a bike or to encourage them to show off their artistic talents with chalk.
Parks or playgrounds
When you’re looking for a family-friendly neighborhood, you want to actually see families out and about. If there aren’t any neighborhood parks or playgrounds, that might be challenging.
