My husband and I are in the middle of house hunting. We are moving out of state, so everything is new to us.
I have done a lot of research on schools and we have narrowed down our search. Currently there are two houses that we are debating about.
The first house I like a lot, but I LOVE the neighborhood. My first choice in where I would want to live. The second house is in a neighborhood that I really like too, but I LOVE the house.
So my question is, what would you weight more in your decision making? The house or the neighborhood?
The house, unless its in an unsafe part of town. You will be spending more time in and around the house than in and around the neighborhood. Plus, neighborhoods are fluid and you could end up with a house you are unhappy with and a house you don't absolutely positively love.
I disagree. I think it's the neighborhood.If you don't love your neighborhood, you will be unhappy.You need kids around to keep your kids happy, you need sidewalks to walk the dog or use a stroller, you need a neighborhood pool to socialize with neighbors and little kids love the pool for friends. We love our neighborhood and our kids say if we didn't live here, they would hate it. A house is a project and you can make it your own over time. The neighborhood is what makes you happy with where you live. Pick carefully
Hi - I agree that the neighborhood should be the deciding factor, especially if you like the house a lot. You will eventually make the home your own and love it, but you can't change the neighborhood. I've done this twice, this last time I wasn't crazy about the house but loved the neighborhood. Five years later, I love my house too. I have great neighbors and even know the people in the local stores. Good Luck!
Its all about the neighborhood. Houses you can fix and change and make better, neighborhoods are difficult to fix and make better. Think about these factors:
-the neighborhood is where your kids will meet his/her future peers
-check out the schools in the neighborhood. Is there lots of parent involvement? That is the sign of a good neighborhood.
-Trust me, as your kids get older, you will be spending a lot of time w/ the people in your neighborhood (soccer games, school yard, carpooling, fundraisers, etc, etc.) you will be happier if you really like thes people
Good luck with this decision - it is an excellent question
Roz www.echoage.com
P.S.I know people who have left great neighborhoods for "better" houses and within a year or two they are out searching for a new house in their old neighborhood.