Moving house? Check the crime rate around your new house for free (warning it’s pretty scary what goes on) and whilst it only updates on a month-by-month basis it’s quite interesting to see what goes on and can give you a good sign of how good an area is before you go further with the purchase.
Other tips to consider before you buy a house:
- Go to the house at different times of the day and park up nearby, with the windows down and just sit there for 30 minutes (e.g. after school, on a Friday/Saturday late night, at rush hour & 6-9pm mid-week) – This will allow you to see/hear any problems like local parents parking in your street every day after school, the house being alongside a cut through for drunken people at 4am each Friday, does it become gridlock at rushhour or is the street turning into a parking nightmare once everyone is home from work.
- Go and knock the door of the neighbour’s house to say hello and see if they’ve got any concerns or had any problems – This is also a good excuse to be nosey and see who your future neighbours might be
- Go for a walk nearby and simply explain to people you’re thinking of moving to a house nearby, is the area OK / is there anything you should know about?
- Join the local Facebook groups
- Go and check the local nearby facilities like shops, doctors, hospital etc
