The rule that ranks the highest when buying a home is “location”. There is a lot of data available on the Internet. One can simply search PlotOrNot or Trulia and investigate the property in question in the comfort of your living room. The data available is a good guideline, but can not tell you everything you need to know about a neighborhood.
Neighborhoods can experience rapid change for reasons such as distressed properties. There are neighborhoods that have weakened and you will not pick it up on the data. The new information takes time before it reflects on the data systems. There is a good chance that you can miss the newly updated data. The data sources do not inform you about everything concerning the area where you plan on buying a home. Even though the neighborhood seems well established, there is information not displayed on the Internet.
A local resident from the area in question is the best source of information. A person who can tell you about: the drug dealing that increased in the specific area; if the wind blows in a certain direction the bad smell that comes along with it from the dumping site; the sewerage nearby and regular events in the area that attract thousands of people that causes bumper to bumper traffic at awkward times.
Another good source of information is your Real Estate Agent who is knowledgeable about the neighborhood and who specializes in the specific area. Make an appointment with your agent and ask him/her everything you need to know. Your agent can provide you with market trends and all crime related information.
You can not replace a good Real Estate Agent and a local resident with data obtainable from the Internet. These two resources can allow you to make an educated decision.
