Thinking About Buying a Home? Ask the Neighbors These Questions First

When you tour a property, it’s pretty easy to know whether or not you want to live in the home. But it can be harder to get a read on the neighborhood.

The good news? There’s a way to get insights into the neighborhood and whether it’s the right fit for you, as long as you’re willing to get over any sense of shyness, walk up to a neighbor, and ask some questions.

But what questions should you ask? A recent article from realtor.com outlined questions you should ask the neighbors before making an offer on a home, including:

• How would you describe the area, and what is it like living here? It can be hard to get a true feel for an area and what it would be like to live there. Asking the neighbors for their insights into the neighborhood and what it’s like to live there can give you key insights you’d never be able to get in the limited time it takes to tour a property.

• If you could change anything at all about the neighborhood, what would it be? A home and neighborhood may seem perfect, but even the “perfect” places have their drawbacks. Asking the neighbors what they would change about the neighborhood will give you insight into some of the potential negative aspects of living in the neighborhood. And from there, you can decide whether those downsides are issues you can live with or if they’re a dealbreaker.

• How do people like to socialize in this neighborhood? There’s no “right” way to interact with your neighbors. Some people hope to become lifelong friends with their neighbors, while others prefer to keep the relationship distant. In a perfect world, you’d move into a neighborhood where people have the same social expectations as you do. The best (and easiest) way to find out if they do, is simply asking your potential future neighbors before you make an offer.