Searching for that perfect home in Nashville or the Middle TN area?  Before you can love a home you have to like the neighborhood.  Many times buyers have a good idea of the home they are looking for but haven’t given the neighborhood much thought. I recently came across an interesting article on FrontDoor.com outling 5 steps to choosing your perfect neighborhood that I thought might be helpful to buyers out there. 

The FrontDoor.com article titled How to Choose a Neighborhood, 5 steps to finding a place where you belong gives some great tips for choosing the Nashville community that is right for you.  I’ve provided the article’s highlights below.  Click here to read the FrontDoor.com article in full. 

STEP 1 — Profile Your Perfect Neighborhood

• Do you have children or are you planning to have children anytime soon?
• What type of home do you want…single-family home or a condo, townhouse?
• How far are you willing to commute?
• Do you want to be in a historic neighborhood or a new development?
• What is your current community lacking? 

STEP 2 — Zero In on the Area

This is where a good realtor can really help to narrow the search by educating you on the areas that best match your list of wants and don’t wants that you came up with in Step 1.  My expert local knowledge of the Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin Tennessee area should be invaluable to you, not just in terms of real estate, but also schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more. Click here to read detailed descriptions of many Middle Tennessee neighborhoods. 

STEP 3 — Get the Suspects

With your area of Middle TN in mind, start digging up information. Find interesting neighborhoods online, ask real estate agents for recommendations and compile all the background information you can, including:

• School information
• Crime statistics
• Parks and recreation
• Neighborhood associations
• Tourist attractions

STEP 4 — Find the Clues

Once you’ve done the background research, visit neighborhoods that made the preliminary grade in person. There’s no better way to paint a real picture of life in the neighborhood. Use your senses to get a complete picture of the prospective community.

Sights:

• Remember your first impression. You’ll want to feel good about where you call home, and impress buyers when you’re ready to move on.
• Visualize yourself in the neighborhood.You’ll enjoy the neighborhood more if it’s easy to do what you like.
• Observe the neighborhood at different times of the day. Driving through will help you get a snapshot of life in the community — good and bad.
• Make sure the local schools make the grade even if you don’t have kids. It will be easier to sell your house later if the schools are nice.
• Look for warning signs. Be on the lookout for signs that the neighborhood is in trouble.

Sounds:

• Stop and listen. Bird and nature sounds are generally pleasant, but what about noise from the highway, airport, hospital, train tracks or nearby clubs and bars? It’s not very relaxing to listen to trains screech by during your morning coffee — especially not every morning.

Smells:

• Specifically, are there any? Take a big whiff of the air, and ask around if you smell any bad odors.

Taste:

• Ask yourself if the neighborhood matches your taste in a living environment

STEP 5 — Close the Case

You’ve chosen your Middle TN neighborhoods. Now for the hard part: finding a house you love. Now, make sure to:

• Find out how much house you can afford. 
• Draw up your vision of home. It worked for your neighborhood — now make your list of wants and don’t wants for your home!

Click here to read FrontDoor.com’s How to Choose a Neighborhood 5 steps to finding a place where you belong

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to speak to JoAnne directly and start finding your perfect Nashville neighborhood and home today.

Read about Nashville communities here to help decide which one you might prefer.

Access my real estate map here to locate Middle TN communities that may house your perfect neighborhood.

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