When you’re young, your priorities for a neighborhood likely extend to clubs and pubs in the vicinity and walking distance to drug and clothing stores. Once you have children, your entire life changes – and you develop a new set of neighborhood requirements.
If you have a young child, here are five tips for choosing the perfect neighborhood to raise them in.
1. Clean
A clean neighborhood is an absolute non-negotiable when raising children. The last thing you want is your children going out to play in parks with questionable paraphernalia and tons of litter lying around.
Do your research and find a neighborhood where local civic groups identify and eliminate problems before they get bigger.
2. Safe
Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your life. You must do thorough checks on the security measures in place to ensure that you and your family will be safe there.
Use an online crime mapping service to determine if the neighborhood you have in mind is safe enough to raise children in. The U.S Department of Justice has a National Sex Offender Public Website which serves as a valuable tool in determining the relative safety of an area.
3. Good Schools
Sites like SchoolDigger.com can help you to check and compare schools in the vicinity of your chosen home, as well as let you read ratings and reviews from other parents.
When looking for homes for sale in Scottsdale, keep in mind that your child will have the opportunity to get the best foundation for lifelong success that they deserve. Scottsdale has some of the top-rated public schools based on a variety of measures, including equity as well as academic performance.
4. Friendly Neighbors
When you’re younger, your neighbors often don’t factor much in your life – you may pass them on the street but you don’t know much about them. Having children changes that because you need to ensure that they will be safe in their homes.
Take the time to research the area you want to live in. Check to see if there are neighborhood groups on social media or messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram.
You will soon learn from what others have to say about the people living in that neighborhood if it is indeed a friendly neighborhood for your children.
5. Parks and Playgrounds
Check if your potential neighborhood has community parks and playgrounds for your children. These places should have activities and amenities to keep visitors of all ages happy and engaged for an entire day.
Some playgrounds are monitored by neighborhood watch groups and have patrols during the day to ensure the safety of everyone there. Check if those parks and play areas are maintained and cleaned by civic or private groups to ensure that your children will be safe year-round.
To End
Being a parent comes with many responsibilities, but you can take a load off your shoulders by wisely choosing the best neighborhood for your family. Do your research and ask around before you buy – that is the best way to ensure that you select the best area for you and your little on