Neighborhoods vary widely, even in the same area. Different communities emerge at different times, often constructed to fulfill different needs. However, finding the perfect setting for you can be as simple as narrowing down your preferences concerning a few essential variables. Take a look at these simple tips to find your dream neighborhood.
1. Imagine your perfect style of home
One of the foremost features that will make your ideal neighborhood apparent is the type of homes there. You may be more or less picky about this particular aspect, but many prospective homebuyers have a certain kind of home in mind. For instance, if you’re interested in an older home style, you would narrow your search to a historic neighborhood. There are several great historic neighborhoods in the Nashville area. If you’re looking for new development, you can find them around Nashville. The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp has this handy guide to Nashville neighborhoods that can give you a quick feel for the characteristics of different city sections.
2. Consider urban versus suburban living
The Nashville area is vast. If you want to live downtown, you can check out the many available downtown Nashville homes for sale. However, there is also a wide variety of real estate technically still within city limits but outside of downtown.
If you want to live in an attractive suburb, consider Green Hills Nashville real estate. Green Hills is an upscale Nashville suburb where the famous Mall at Green Hills is located. Owners of Green Hills Nashville real estate live near great retail outlets and enjoy life in one of the most sought-after suburbs in the Nashville area. Suburban homeowners often enjoy larger homes and lot sizes, although there is a variety of spacious real estate throughout Nashville. You may find upon looking that your location preferences are more flexible than you think.
3. Decide how much of a yard you need
Even between homeowners with the same budget, preferences for lawn size vary widely. For those with pets or kids, a spacious yard can be essential in buying a home. For older populations and single working people, a yard might be seen as an unnecessary chore that is never quite complete. There is also the question of space. Some homeowners don’t mind being close to their neighbors, while others enjoy the privacy and personal freedom that a larger lot size can provide. You can look at online listings to get a feel for the difference in lot and yard sizes in different areas.
4. Think about your commute
Your perfect neighborhood would preferably be located near your ideal job. If your work is remote, then you can skip this step. On the other hand, downtown employees may want to live near their jobs. Fortunately, many downtown Nashville homes for sale put your home close to your work. If you have preconceptions about living in the downtown area, you may be pleasantly surprised by the variety of downtown Nashville homes for sale, so don’t hesitate to check them out.
5. See what’s in the surrounding area
In addition to work, there are other destinations that you may wish to live near. If you have or are planning to have kids, local schools will be one of the main concerns in choosing the right neighborhood.
If your kids attend public schools, your neighborhood will be the main factor in determining where they are placed. If they attend a private school, you may still want to live near that school. You will also want to consider how your kids get to school and whether your neighborhood facilitates walking or riding bikes to school. Fortunately, nice neighborhoods tend to form near excellent schools, so you don’t have to overthink this.
6. Consider homeowners’ and neighborhood associations
For some homeowners, homeowners’ associations (often referred to as “HOAs”) or neighborhood associations provide a convenient mechanism for preserving the character of a neighborhood and protecting property values. For others, these associations may be viewed as an unnecessary constraint on one’s homeownership. As such, you should know whether a housing or neighborhood association is right for you before purchasing a home.
Fortunately, most neighborhoods have some properties with and some without these associations. For more information, here’s a list of homeowners’ associations in Nashville. Before purchasing a home that a homeowners’ association governs, be sure you understand the obligations and limitations that this association will place on your property.
7. Take a drive
These days, home buyers have the option to go through basically the entire process of acquiring a home from their computer. However, nothing beats the experience of checking out a home firsthand or driving around a neighborhood to see how it feels. If a particular community catches your eye, you may be able to attend an open house or arrange a private viewing of one or more homes there. In addition, taking a drive through a nice neighborhood is a relaxing pastime, so break away from that screen for a while and check out some local areas.
8. Get help from a realtor
A qualified local realtor can help you get up to speed on what different neighborhoods offer in terms of value and other factors. While you can learn a lot from online research and visiting different areas, nothing can take the place of a qualified real estate agent as far as helping you to understand the ups and downs of different neighborhoods.
If you are interested in owning downtown, Brentwood, Belle Meade, Franklin, or Green Hills Nashville real estate, reach out to Janelle Waggener to find your perfect neighborhood.
*Header photo courtesy of Shutterstock