Our agency’s #1 priority is making sure that you and your family are both informed and insured. Our main purpose is to help you protect all that matters most, especially your family and your home.
Being in insurance, I get a lot of questions from friends, family, and clients who are looking to buy a new home about the many factors that go into choosing your next (and sometimes even first!) home, both relating to insurance and much more.
Here are a few common things that I like to make sure folks pay attention to when choosing their next home:
- Public Services – Is the street that your dream home is sitting on clean and well-maintained? Are there sidewalks? Do you want/need public transportation, and if so, is it available nearby? Where’s the closest hospital and fire station? These are just a few things to consider and factor into your decision-making process based on their importance to you. This is something that you really need to pay attention to. If the bathroom or kitchen in your new home needs to be remodeled, no big deal, you can do that. You can’t build a new hospital around the corner.
- School System – Even if you don’t currently have children, you might one day, and where they would go to school may be a strong factor in choosing your home. Being in a good school district can increase demand for your property, as well as give you a higher resale value if you choose to move again. Talk to your realtor, friends, family, and even those who already live in the neighborhood to get a good idea of what school area you prefer.
- Crime Rates – It’s important to make sure that no matter where you choose to move, you’re in a safe neighborhood. Besides talking to your realtor and other industry professionals, like me, to get advice, you can take advantage of multiple free resources, like www.crimereports.com which provides you with free minute by minute updated crime maps and crime reports for your local area.
- Noise & Traffic – If these are important factors to you, you certainly want to do a bit of research. Pay attention to where your new home is located, if it’s in a busy or slower area. Also be sure to check out the neighborhood at different times of the day, as well as noting traffic patterns you see. Talk to people who already live in the area if at all possible, as they can give you a realistic opinion.
I hope these tips help you in making a decision about your new home. Of course, you’ll need homeowner’s insurance too, so don’t forget to call or come by the office so we can make sure you’ve got the coverage you need to protect your new home.
Happy house hunting!