Saturday, January 24, 2009

Buying a Home in a Small Community

By John Kron

Have you ever considered moving away from the big city and enjoying life in a small town? Smaller communities can have a lot going for them. Owning property in a small town can have a lot of benefits for you and your family.

One big benefit can be the savings on the price of the home. In some cases, the asking price of a house in a smaller town will be quite a bit lower than in the big city. While this is not always true, it is worth looking at the market value of comparable homes in different communities.

Safety is usually a big concern to parents, and small communities can give you a feeling of more security. Not only are there smaller schools and shorter distances for the children to walk, but the people next door are willing to keep an eye out for you. With less traffic and fewer people, small towns can be ideal for your family.

Buying property in a small community that is steadily growing might mean that your home's equity will grow too. An up and coming town will always help the value of a house. See if you can tell whether a specific community seems to be in decline or on the rise. This might take a little investigation!

So, you have decided a small town might be right for you. what's next? You could drive through some communities and have a look around and get a sense of what you do or don't like about them. There are a lot of different things you can look at, but here are just a few ideas.

For instance, make sure to check distances to and from major highways and city centers. What sort of houses are available in general? Are the town and yards tidy and well kept? How about school locations, fire department, ambulance or hospital, library and recreation centers? Is there a local police station?

If you are thinking that you might want to look for a home in a smaller community, the next step will be finding a real estate agent to help you. You might decide that the correct decision for your lifestyle is to live in a large metropolitan area. But if you do choose to move out into a less populated center, I hope you find it as peaceful and safe as I do.

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