Before committing to living in a neighborhood that you’re unfamiliar with, it is a good idea to research it thoroughly. Keeping that in mind, here are six ways you can research a neighborhood before you move in.

Walkability

To find out how walkable and convenient a neighborhood is, use a tool like Walk Score. If you live in an area with a low walkability score, you’ll probably need a car to get anywhere you want to go, whereas a high walkability score means you can get around just fine on foot.

If you’d rather spend your time getting around, use a tool like Bike Score. It gives you a sense of a neighborhood’s bike-friendliness from the extent of its bike lanes and trails.

Crime Rates

When you need crime statistics, there are a few places to go. Several tools are available that aggregate crime data, including CityProtect, AreaVibes, and Neighborhood Scout. In the meantime, you can check if there are any registered sexual offenders in the area on a site such as Family Watchdog. You can also do some general Google research on your own.

Find out how safe it would be to walk outside your home by entering your address into My Local Crime. You can see exactly where those crimes were committed by clicking on the map function.

Neighborhood Valuation

It’s more valuable to know these trends than you might think. How a neighborhood’s housing prices have changed over time can tell you a lot about its history and potential. A neighborhood’s schools and parks may also be well-funded based on property tax rates in the area.

The value of a property doesn’t always tell the whole story, and a low value doesn’t necessarily mean that the place isn’t a good place to live. It’s still worth looking into them as you research a neighborhood—especially if you’re planning to invest long-term.

Ask People Who Live There

It’s often helpful to ask people who live there since they know the area best. Those who live in the area should be able to tell you what they like and dislike about residing there. You can also reach out to some residents through an app like Nextdoor or a public Facebook group if you don’t know anyone who resides in the neighborhood. Yelp can find restaurants near you, and Moviefone shows you nearby theaters.

You can use all of the steps above to research a neighborhood effectively, but only you know what matters most to you. Keep your most pressing concerns and preferences in mind, and remember that every neighborhood will have its advantages and disadvantages. If you have a reasonable foundation of information, you should be able to determine whether you want to take up residency.

The process of buying your first home can be exciting. Once you’ve found a home you’re interested in online, schedule a tour as soon as possible but don’t get caught up in the excitement or you may miss some important details about the house.

Do some research and take notes

Most of the time you’ll view a handful of homes, so taking notes will help you remember your thoughts and the details of each home. Look for things like the number, location, and size of bedrooms and bathrooms; closet and storage space; the age and condition of appliances; the roof and gutters; cracks in the foundation and driveway; signs of water damage; and uneven flooring. Make sure to walk around the entire home and property with your agent, he or she will be able to point out potential problems and answer your questions. You should not get discouraged by minor cosmetic details, since not every house will be flawless.

Be prepared to make multiple offers before you find the ideal home at the right price. By the time most buyers realize a home with a low list price is likely to sell for a lot more, they are often already invested and willing to bid up to buy the home. Don’t overlook any flaws just because your heart is set on the home and are in a rush to put in an offer. Take some time with this. You may not think that it is a big issue now, but it could lead to future problems later on.

Knowing everything about real estate bidding wars can help you make an offer that sellers won’t refuse when the housing market is aggressive. Start with a real estate agent who specializes in your local market and puts finding you a home at the top of their list. Your agent can help you understand the differences in your area, so your bids are competitive without being too expensive. You can learn how to better your odds while making an offer on your future home with these following tips.

Offer your highest price

You should come in with your highest and final offer if you’re in a bidding war for real estate. If there are other offers on the table, it’s unlikely that a seller will negotiate. Make sure your bid is the highest you can make, and be prepared to lose if the house sells for a dollar more than your offer. While you will not know the costs of the other bids, you will know the sale price once the deal closes.

The list price isn’t always the selling price

Just because the list price is within your budget does not mean the selling price will be. On average, buyers pay up to 3% more than the list price. These numbers can change as the market rises and falls.

Prepare to waive contingencies

In a competitive market, you are likely to have to enter into a deal with very few or no contingencies. This may be because there are clauses enabling you to back out without breaching the contract. A competitive offer might eliminate things like a home inspection, a house sale contingency, and more. A new home is less likely to have problems, but an older home may need some fixing that a home inspection would normally reveal. Knowing the possibilities before waiving contingencies will help you to be more mentally, emotionally, and financially prepared before making an offer.

A high bid does not always win

It’s critical to make a good offer, but sellers might want more than just a high number. Fast closing and possession, few contingencies, a free leaseback term, a short option period, or even a personal letter to the seller (the last of which may or may not be read) can make a buyer stand out. As long as you offer a competitive amount, these extras might seal the deal.

Research is crucial

The home you are bidding on probably isn’t worth spending money on if it seems unreal. If you’ve been paying attention to local real estate, you’ve probably recognized how square footage, age, dwelling type, and others affect listing prices. Listings that don’t match market values are usually due to various reasons: cosmetic fixes, suspect histories, or additions that aren’t up to code. Make sure the house you bid on is safe and meets your needs, no matter how much you want it.

When you’re buying a house, especially during a hot market, it may be tempting to forego certain steps to expedite the process. Waiving a home inspection, however, is never going to be a good idea. Here are some reasons why you should never skip the home inspection.

Weakened Negotiations

After a home inspection is completed, the buyer can reevaluate their offer, renegotiate the terms or even pull out. More than 80% of home prices are negotiated at least twice when they include a home inspection. If you forego this process, you also forfeit the opportunity to readjust the price of the home, which can greatly reflect both the condition of the home and any future repair costs.

Costly Repairs

A home inspection provides an overall report of the current condition of a home, including its systems, appliances, foundation and more, as well as letting a buyer know what repairs will be necessary. If you skip the the home inspection, you risk letting both minor and major issues go undetected, and any repair costs will come out of your pocket.

Insurance

Without a report, your insurance company may not cover pre-existing issues discovered after purchase without a home inspection. This means you will likely have to pay out of pocket for any repairs.

Safety Hazards

Home inspectors note any health and safety hazards. Without this, you may not be aware of potentially dangerous conditions. Issues such as outdated electrical wiring, deteriorating pipes or structural damage, such as a cracked foundation, can put you at serious risk. An inspector will identify these issues and give you information on how to fix or replace items and areas as needed.

Peace of Mind

A completed home inspection paints a picture of not only the condition of a home, but also the overall value, which can help buyers when it comes to negotiation and costs. Without the details of a home’s condition, you may feel anxious and uncertain. Whether an inspection brings up a lot of issues and problems with a home, or if it yields only a few, you will have the opportunity to walk away or move forward knowing everything necessary about your new house.

Real estate newbies are so excited when purchasing their first home that they often overlook key aspects of the property before signing on the dotted line. Sometimes wearing those rose-colored glasses can have costly outcomes making the dream of owning their first house become more like a nightmare. To assure your story has a happy ending, here are some items to consider before it becomes an expensive mistake.

Possible structural, electrical and plumbing issues

An experienced home inspector should spot structural concerns, but to make sure the hired professional doesn’t neglect crawl spaces, chimneys, and other hard-to-access areas, the buyer should be present at the time of the inspection. Also, if the home has a chimney you may want a dedicated chimney cleaning company to take a look at what may be going on inside. During the inspection, make sure the electrical panel, water heater and HVAC system is in working order. Overlooking these necessary components of the house can be extremely costly if you are the one stuck with the repair bill.

Use of space and position of fixtures

Nothing can be more frustrating than realizing afteryou move into your new home that the light fixtures are off-centered and this “open-floor” concept may be a little too open. Slow down and scrutinize every room. Take careful notes of all fixture oddities. Imagine your furniture in this new space eliminating the possibility of your furniture being swallowed by the huge room and stealing the desired coziness.

Closet space

Don’t underestimate the space required to store all that you own now and could possibly in the near future. A good tip is to measure the closet space you currently have and see if it’s the same or more. Ultimately, if you buy a house that is lacking in this department, you may be left with no other option than stealing valuable space from somewhere else in the home or possibly adding onto or building a new closet later, which will not be cheap.

Noise levels of the neighborhood

Determining how picturesque your new neighborhood is can be easily seen but it’s very hard to know how peaceful the area sounds with just a few tours. Go visit the area during a week day and the weekend at different times of the day. Roll down those windows and observe. You’ll get a better sense of any traffic noise, loud neighbors and how many people park on the roads or pass by. There is no cheap fix to living behind a fire station or next to boisterous neighbors.

Buying a home is expensive! It’s in your best interest during the homebuying process to make sure these items are looked for and addressed prior to taking the plunge.