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One of the first qualities I would look for in a neighborhood whether I have bought a new home or am moving to a new apartment is the safety factor. In my own personal experiences in my past whenever I have moved I try to visit the neighborhood not only during the day but also during the early evening. I try to invite a friend along and we stroll through the area to see what the ambiance is at night because it gives me a good idea of what I may be confronted with after I move. In my own life I have moved to neighborhoods where during the day it is nice but at night it gives a new meaning to "the freaks come out at night" noisy neighbors, loud playing music and even crime. A second thing I look for in a great neighborhood is the availability of places we need close by like your local post office,libraries, hospitals, supermarkets, a nice sit down restaurant you can see yourself having a lovely family meal, grocery stores for those days you run out of milk and you don't want to trek to the supermarket to get it. If you are a mother like me you will also look at your neighborhood park. Is it safe? I once moved to a neighborhood that was nice but the park was a "stay off grounds" for my child and I. There were IV drug needles on the grounds as well as dirty condoms which meant that at night slot of illicit things were going on and there was no way I was bringing my child there (though the park was pretty much empty during the day). The next quality I look for in a neighborhood is the people. Are the people friendly? When I lived in the area of Kensington, Brooklyn New York I found that most of the people in the area were very friendly from the grocery store owner to the mailman and in all honesty in my opinion if you are in the business of dealing with the public you should be personable as well as approachable. How are your neighbors are they friendly or extroverted? Remember having a good neighbor is essential as well as a blessing because though we constantly want to keep things under control one is never ready for the "unexpected emergency" and a good neighbor is an asset. Transportation is the next bonus in a neighborhood even if you have a car and don't need to ride the train or bus it is always good to see where your closest bus stop or train station is located. You don't want a friend or visitor to trek a mile to find the local bus stop because you are in the dark as to its location. Finally, a good tip to remember is once you have attained a neighborhood of your liking you can research your local stores and restaurant's on-line and it gives you an idea of the quality of their products as well as their business. Map-quest is a wonderful resource to zoom in on neighborhoods and everything located near or around the area you are interested in. Good luck and happy neighborhood hunting!

Learn more about this author, Nayseal Basora.
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