Won't You Be My Neighbor?

As a member of your community, there are many ways to connect with your neighbors and add value to your neighborhood. A neighborhood can be every bit as important as the dwelling itself. In a recent poll, 64% of the individuals cited quality of the neighborhood as the most valued components when buying a home. Unfortunately, you can’t test drive your neighborhood but you can do a little homework to get closer to your ideal.

I can tell you that I have experienced the good and bad neighbor situation. The bad can be a bit tough to get over with their loud cars coming in and out until the wee hours, yelling and unkempt yards to not shoveling snow from their sidewalk which just happens to span about 100 feet. (Shudder) It definitely adds stress to the living situation. I want to help you navigate towards the good and make an educated decision in your quest for home ownership.

The top 4 influences in selecting a home are:

1. Convenience to job

2. Overall affordability

3. Quality of the School District (In Glastonbury I believe this one is higher on the list. Many families flock to Glastonbury just for the award-winning schools).

4. Convenience to family & friends.

Location! Location! Location!

Remember that you will never be able to uproot the house and move it so choose an area that you can see yourself planting roots for the next 5 years. Here are some of my tips for researching the town you’d like to live in:

1. Walk the Neighborhood: Is it kid friendly, quiet, loud, dog friendly, are there sidewalks, block parties, and do the other homes have curb appeal too?

2. Nearby Amenities: Here in Glastonbury, there are so many great things to do, places to see, including many farms for berry and apple picking, great restaurants, shopping like Somerset Square, an array of activities through the parks & recreation dept., a dog park, skateboard park and just strolling or biking down Historic Main Street.

3. Check with Planning & Zoning to see if adjacent lots to the one you’re considering are town owned or are there future plans to build. You don’t want any bad surprises.

4. Connect with the area because it’s never just about the house. You want to make connections with the people around you to make an easy transition into the neighborhood.

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