• Deciding where you would like to live
• Considering how much money you would like to spend
• Thinking about what type of home you would like
• Deciding when you want to make your move

As a local real estate professional, I can help you along the way with all of these decisions, including finding the perfect neighborhood for your needs. Here are three of my favorite tips to see if an area or a particular area is right for you:

1. Check out the basic stats. Crime data, both the volume of crime and the types of crime, and school performance data are important when thinking about what's best for your family. 2. See what the neighbors are doing. Get a sense of local activities, and see if it looks like a place with frequent block-parties or if people may keep more to themselves. 3. Learn the traffic patterns. Find out if there are frequent jams, or if a nearby farmers' market limits road access during weekends.