I have been blessed to work with clients in many different areas in the Dallas, Fort Worth area and I can say that no two clients have had the same needs when looking for a home.  To begin the ground work of purchasing a home, it is vital to find the areas that fit your basic criteria.  Until you have this important piece of information, you will feel a lot like a lost tumble weed being blown wherever the wind is headed regarding your home search.

A significant need that many people might not think about instinctively is an area’s present crime rate.  Resale value will be affected here of course, but also personal safety should be a non-negotiable with everything else being equal.  For example, making small decisions like buying a home with or without a garage in a moderate crime area can result in car vandalism that the home owner might not think about up front.  To check out crime statistics in different neighborhoods, one available resource you can check into is: http://spotcrime.com.

For many people, school districts will play an important role in determining the desirability of a neighborhood.  Even for those without children or plans of having children, school districts are a key determining factor in neighborhood stability and resale value. This is one of the reasons that an area like West Plano is very stable while other areas of the metro might not be.

For many families, ease of travel is usually very high up on the list.  For example, that is why you can get a lot more house for the money in Plano or Frisco than a home in the Greenland Hills or Lakewood subdivisions close to downtown Dallas. Escape routes for your daily work commute, your day to day errands, and children’s activities are important.  For a particular client I’m currently working with, ease of journey to her children’s private school is very important since she will be going back and forth sometimes 3 to 4 times daily. 

Social activity is another item that will usually be high on the list for a buyer.  There is no set formula here because what one person will like another one will not like for the same reason.  For example, the gingerbread homes in lower Greenville appeal to younger professionals looking for something social on the weekends.  This same area might be crossed off the list for a family with children for that very reason of too many bars and restaurants to close for comfort.

The moral of the story here is that your own list will have different answers on it when these questions are asked.    Maybe you work in the telecom corridor in Richardson, then Richardson Heights or Canyon Creek might be a good fit.  Maybe night life is highest on the list.  Addison or West Village in Dallas would be two top candidates for this lifestyle.  The key here is that you have to find out what is important to you and see how the different areas rate in relationship to your needs.

Here at Covenant Realty Corporation, it is our job to be experts on the areas in our territory.  If you or someone you know is getting ready to step into the circle, we would be glad to help. Comprehensive knowledge of the area and skillful representation are a phone call away.   Once we’ve helped you locate the right neighborhood, then it is time for the next step which you can learn about here.

Ryan Kirkpatrick