5 steps to finding a place where you belong

STEP 4 -- Find the Clues

Once you've done the background research, visit neighbourhoods that made the preliminary grade in person. There's no better way to paint a real picture of life in the neighbourhood. Use your senses to get a complete picture of the prospective community.

Sights:

·                     Remember your first impression. What do you notice first about the neighbourhood? Do the streets have curb appeal? Are the houses well-maintained? Do the shops and restaurants look hip and inviting? You'll want to feel good about where you call home, and impress buyers when you're ready to move on.

·                     Visualize yourself in the neighbourhood. Think of your daily routine. If you can't live without a morning latte, is there a coffee shop nearby? Where will you walk your dog or go jogging? You'll enjoy the neighbourhood more if it's easy to do what you like.

·                     Observe the neighbourhood at different times of the day. Driving through will help you get a snapshot of life in the community -- good and bad. Do the roads turn into a parking lot after school or during rush hour? Are people using grills or decks in the evening? Are neighbours and kids socializing or do people keep to themselves? Are the streets well-lit at night? These visual clues can help you decide if you'll fit in.

·                     Make sure the local schools make the grade. Even if you don't have kids, pay a visit to the nearby schools. High ratings are great, but seeing the buildings is much more telling. It will be easier to sell your house later if the schools are nice.

·                     Look for warning signs. Be on the lookout for signs that the neighbourhood is in trouble. Do you see abandoned buildings or vandalism? Are there a lot of "For Sale" signs or rentals? If the community goes downhill, so does your house's value.

Sounds:

·                     Stop and listen. Bird and nature sounds are generally pleasant, but what about noise from the highway, airport, hospital, train tracks or nearby clubs and bars? It's not very relaxing to listen to trains screech by during your morning coffee -- especially not every morning.

·                     Talk to your future neighbours. Ask how they like the area, and get the dirt on anything they don't like about the place. What do they want to change? What's their favorite place to hang out? If they're rude to you, they probably wouldn't be good neighbours anyway.

·                     Talk to more people. You'll get the best information from regular people. Hit up your waiter for information when you're checking out the local food, or ask a gas station attendant to spill what they know about your chosen neighborhood.

Smells:

·                     Specifically, are there any? You can't experience unpleasant smells on the Internet and they're not advertised in tourism brochures, but they can certainly affect your decision to live in an area. Take a big whiff of the air, and ask around if you smell any fishy (or just bad) odors.

Taste:

·                     No, I'm not asking you to lick your prospective home's mailbox. But ask yourself if the neighbourhood matches your taste in a living environment -- and if it meets your criteria. Just because it's a nice neighbourhood doesn't mean it's the one for you. If the neighbourhood meets your list but still feels wrong, search out another area. Trust your gut feeling -- after all, you're the one who has to live there.