Houston Home Buyers Guide

The Houston neighborhood you chose can have a big impact on your lifestyle, safety, available amenities, and convenience all play their part.  Following are six tips to help you be a smart Houston home buyer.

1. Make a list of the activities, movies, health club, church you engage in regularly and stores you visit frequently. See how far you would have to travel from each Houston neighborhood you are considering to engage in your most common activities.

2. Check out the school district. The Department of Education can provide information on test scores, class size, percentage of students who attend college, and special enrichment programs. If you have school-age children, also considering paying a visit to schools in the neighborhoods youre considering. Even if you dont have children, a house in a good school district will be easier to sell in the future.

3. Find out if the Houston neighborhood is safe. Ask the police department for neighborhood crime statistics. Consider not only the number of crimes but also the typeburglaries, armed robberies and the trend of increasing or decreasing crime. Also, is crime centered in only one part of the neighborhood, such as near a retail area?

4. Determine if the Houston neighborhood is economically stable. Check with the economic development office to see if income and property values in the neighborhood are stable or rising. What is the percentage of homes to apartments? Apartments dont necessarily diminish value, but do mean a more transient population. Do you see vacant businesses or homes that have been for sale for months?

5. See if youll make money on your Houston real estate. Ask a local REALTOR to get you information about price appreciation trends in the neighborhood. Although past performance is no guarantee of future results, this information may give you a sense of how good an investment your home will be. A REALTOR or the government planning agency may also be able to tell you about planned developments or other changes in the neighborhoodlike a new school or highwaythat might affect value.

6. See the Houston neighborhood for yourself. Once youve narrowed your focus to two or three subdivisions, go there and walk around. Are homes tidy and well maintained? Are streets quiet? Pick a warm day if you can and chat with people working or playing outside.

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Paige Martin is a member of the prestigious Martha Turner Properties’ Circle of Excellence, an award given to honor the company’s top producers. Paige is a member of HAR, TAR and the National Association of Realtors. Her website, , features over 500 pages of Houston real estate information and details on over 40,000 properties of Houston Texas Real Estate for sale as well, as free tips on how to quickly sell Houston homes. Paige Martin, Realtor, Martha Turner Properties.

CallPaige at 713-384-5177 to tour a Houston Tx home today or email Paige@HoustonProperties.com for more information.