Realty Nena

It’s not easy to choose the perfect neighborhood in Philadelphia for you. Let’s face it, your neighborhood is just as important as your house. If you’re not happy with your neighborhood – whether it’s Society Hill, Manayunk or Francisville – it could lead to dissatisfaction with your home.

Do your research to determine what a neighborhood has to offer you. Check out sites like Visit Philly, DiscoverPHL and others. The greatest areas for children are not always the best place for a single person or empty nesters. I’m going to go over a few of the things that you can look at in a neighborhood during the buying process.

Location

Location is everything. Imagine living in Center City, but you work in the Poconos. This won’t leave you with much time to enjoy all Center City has to offer, since you’ll spend most of your time commuting. That can be overwhelming and will create frustration with the home you purchased.

Location plays a huge factor when it comes to the community and its amenities, too. If you live in a rural area up by the Poconos, you might not find many gyms, retail stores, or elaborate restaurants. But if you enjoy reclusiveness and outdoor activities, it may be perfect for you. Drive around the area to see everything that’s in proximity – and it doesn’t hurt to scroll around on Google Maps.

PRO TIP: Drive or walk around the areas you’re researching. Make sure to take note of distances and time it takes to get to some of the places you may be going to often.

Interview the “Micro”-Locals

Asking the locals in an area is a great way to see if you would enjoy it there. Most people who aren’t from Philly don’t realize just how hyperlocal our neighbors can be.  “Micro”-locals will know the blocks the best and can make you aware of any perks or issues. Most people love chatting about their neighborhood and where they live.

How can you get involved without physically going to every community or rec center? Facebook!

Join the local Facebook community group to get a vibe of the neighborhood. (Sometimes these groups have restrictions, but try reaching out to the Admins!) You can even ask questions to get real feedback. Asking questions like:

1) I’m moving to the area and was curious to hear what some of you love about living here?
2) I’m curious to hear what some of the changes you are hoping for soon
3) What’s something that you would only know if you lived here?

PRO TIP: You can also just Google: How is Living in (Neighborhood). This will reveal many other forums or blogs that give hyperlocal insights.

Schools

If you have kids that will attend public school, then schools may be the most important factor. The Philadelphia School District associates your address with a school catchment, or “attendance boundary” area. This determines which school will allow your student to attend.

Some people look for a school nearby for their kids to walk to school. Some are seeking schools for children with special needs. The best advice I can offer is decide on the schools you want first. Then begin looking for the neighborhoods around that school.

PRO TIP: There are many online resources like GreatSchools.org, where you can look up the schools in your area and their rating. Once you have decided on a school that you believe will be best for your family, visit the school.

Property Values

The value of a property plays a huge role in choosing a neighborhood. If your desired neighborhood has high value homes, this may mean higher taxes. If a home has a declining property value, like in 2008, it can impact the value of the entire neighborhood. An area that once was a great looking place to live can slowly turn into a run down location in need of some TLC.

PRO TIP: Don’t go for the most expensive home in the neighborhood. If the home value is above average, it may appreciate or sell slower than those closer in value to the average.

Property Taxes

Taxes will vary by neighborhood, so you should consider them when buying a hom. As you may have already heard, Philly just reassessed property taxes after delaying it for three years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many residential property owners saw their values jump 31% as a result.

(I’ll share a post soon with more details on what you can do about it as a property-owner. Or contact me with any questions if you can’t wait.)

The city usually does this yearly to make sure it’s getting tax revenue to provide services as it grows. Buying a home at the top of your budget can make your excitement become anxiety once the other expenses roll in.

This is why it’s important to make sure you consider all the expenses that come with owning a home. I can always help you with any questions you have, so don’t be scared to give me a call or shoot me a message.

PRO TIP: Don’t buy a home at the top of your price range if you are buying in a neighborhood with increasing values. The taxes you pay will go up in cost as well.

BONUS TIP!!: If you’re searching for homes right now, the current property taxes on record may not be correct. It may still be a few months before Philly’s OPA updates them. Be sure to triple check the property taxes on the area you’re buying into.

Safety

Some consider safety to be the most important factor in a neighborhood. But not everyone can afford to live in a gated community, nor does everyone want to live like that. But if you really wanted to, you could look at local police reports to see what mischief goes on in a specific area. You can even use online resources like crime maps to get an idea of the crime rate in certain areas.

*Agents can’t discuss criminal activity with clients legally.

PRO TIP: Ring has a downloadable app called neighbors that shows you the local incidents in a given area. You don’t have to have the doorbell to use the app.

Bottom Line – TLDR

The neighborhood you live in can have a greater impact on your satisfaction than the home itself. The right house in the wrong area will leave you unhappy in the long-run. Research online, speak with neighbors, and drive around the area to determine if the neighborhood is right for you or your family.