There is an old saying: the three most important things to look for when you buy real estate are location, location, and location. That’s certainly true when you’re shopping for a home. If you want to increase your chances of winding up with a home that will appreciate rather than depreciate, you should look at the neighborhood as well as the house.
First, decide on the general area where you want to live. Usually, this will be an area within driving distance from where you work.
Second, seek a specific neighborhood or community. You should be confident that you’ll be moving into a dynamic, growing area, where school enrollment is going up and new businesses are opening. Pick a neighborhood where the homes have been increasing in value, in recent years.
To find this information, you can go on the Internet. Sites such as houseandhome.msn.com give you the opportunity to research cities and specific neighborhoods.