Use These Seven Tests to Decide If a New Neighborhood Is Right for You

While getting a home you're thinking of buying inspected to make sure it's not harboring any hidden problems goes without saying, it's just as important to do a deep dive on the neighborhood you'll be moving into. But while you can look up crime stats and compare property values, how can you know if you’re going to personally vibe with the new surroundings?

Here are seven strategies you can try in order to vibe-check your potential new neighborhood before signing a lease or taking out a mortgage.

Walk the area instead of driving around

Whether you’re a walker or you believe strongly in driving to the end of your driveway to collect the mail, a stroll through a prospective neighborhood is an effective way to gauge its overall feel. If you have a dog, taking it for a walk there is just as effective (and might make you feel more comfortable). Walking around will show you whether your neighborhood is buzzing with activity at all hours, or if it’s super quiet. You’ll get a feel for whether neighbors socialize a lot, or if they keep to themselves. This will let you know if the area matches your energy, or if you’ll be bored or irritated living there.

Walking around also gives you the chance to run into residents and chat them up a little. Some casual conversation can reveal a lot about the character of the place, and whether people are happy living there or gritting their teeth every day.

Hang around at different times of day

Walking is a good technique, but so is sitting. Take a drive to your new potential block at different hours of the day and just sit there for a little while and listen. Noise is one of the leading complaints people have about their neighbors, but it can be difficult to notice when you’re actively touring a home and engaged with a real estate agent. Sitting for a bit and listening will tell you whether the neighborhood is packed with barking dogs, screaming children, loud train tracks, blasting stereos, or vicious arguments.

Try a short-term rental

If you have the time and flexibility, look for a short-term rental in the neighborhood you're considering. A brief mini-vacation there will give you a day or two to see what everyday life might be like there. You'll also have the opportunity to find out how walkable it is, what the local stores and nightlife are like, even how easy it is to find street parking. If you can’t wait to get out of there after a few days, you'll know everything you need to about whether it's the spot for you.

Preview the nightlife

Walking and staking out the neighborhood are effective ways to gauge the vibe, but make sure you include some weekend evenings on your schedule. A neighborhood that’s pin-drop quiet on a Monday morning might transform into an enormous block party on Friday night—which may or may not be what you’re looking for. If you can, check it out during a holiday as well—a neighborhood that has regular block parties or other social events to mark these occasions will have a very different vibe from a spot where everyone keeps to themselves.

Even if you’re not going to be renting out a room, you might consider redirecting your nightlife to the new neighborhood for a few nights. Hit up some restaurants, bars, coffee shops, or other venues. These will be your go-to spots when you live there, so knowing whether they’re walkable, always crowded, incredibly noisy, or just not your tempo is valuable information.

Check out the grocery stores

There is absolutely a hierarchy of grocery stores, so you should check out your options in your potential new neighborhood. High-end spots will be clean and well-stocked, with fresh produce but higher prices. Lower-end stores might not be a pleasant shopping experience, and might indicate a neighborhood on a downward spiral. And having no local options and being forced to drive to a big-box store—or having dollar stores and convenience stores as your only grocery option—might make living there a lot more difficult. Your feelings about the local grocery situation might depend on your lifestyle, but it’s worth it to make sure the stores match up with your expectations and needs, whatever they are.

Test your commute

If you’re going to be commuting to and from work, school, or some other location regularly, do a test run or two. Get to the prospective neighborhood a little early, start the clock, and start your commute from there. Whether driving or taking public transportation, this will be the best way to get a feel for whether your commute is about to get much, much more nightmarish, a lot easier, or not change in any way at all.

Check the local calendar

One thing you should look at when vetting any neighborhood is any list of public events in the general area you can locate. Many communities have public websites with information about upcoming festivals, block parties, and community events like local theater productions. You can also check out the local chamber of commerce for event information.

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