Top 4 Tips of A Friendly/Safe Neighborhood
The ideal downtown Boston real estate is more than just the structure you live in. What’s outside the condominium, the neighborhood, can also affect your level of comfort, security, and happiness. So, if you’re still looking for your own downtown Boston condo or thinking to move elsewhere, it is essential to make sure you will be living in a friendly neighborhood.
You really can’t tell if a downtown Boston real estate neighborhood is friendly just by looking at the pictures or relying on listing descriptions. Additionally, a community can be very calm and peaceful during the day, but a lot more different at night. With some prodding and detective work, you should be able to tell if a potential neighborhood is where you’d want to live for the next several years.
Level of Neighborhood Activity
A friendly neighborhood is often a close-knit neighborhood. Neighbors feel secure about opening their curtains and stepping out of their Beacon Hill homes on a beautiful sunny day. You’ll see people walk or jog freely at the sidewalk, and parents allowing their kids to play down the street.
You’ll also notice that neighbors are engaged with community events, whether it’s the annual Halloween trick or treat, summer fair or decorating street lamps for the holiday season.. If it seems like people are free to bond, communicate, and interact with one another, then that’s a telling sign that it’s a safe/friendly neighborhood.
Low Crime Rate
A downtown Boston neighborhood with a low crime rate is an excellent indication that it is safe place. However, the crime rate is not something that’s instantly handed to you because you’re shopping for a new downtown Boston home within the location. You need to do some digging yourself.
- Visit the local police and ask around.
- You may also find some interesting information form chatty neighbors.
- Postmen (postperson) are a great source of information
Also, make it a point to check the neighborhood at various times of the day and determine the level of police presence. Patrolling police can be a good sign because it means the local police are taking their jobs seriously, but if there seems to be more than a couple of police calls at night, then that should be something you need to think about.
You Feel Safe Touring on Foot
Driving around the neighborhood in an enclosed car is very different than when you’re walking around the area by foot. You might miss some simple details like graffiti in some corners with a quick drive around.
Walking around by foot gives you plenty of opportunities to really see what people are up to. Do people seem to enjoy to chat with next-door neighbors while walking their dogs? Do they greet or smile when you pass by? Is the park packed with playing kids on the weekend?
If the long tour on foot gives you a feeling of inner peace and calm, then that neighborhood is likely the one you’d want to settle in.
Local Business Presence
Another good indication is the presence of local businesses. If people feel safe and comfortable establishing and running a business in the area, then there’s a good reason why you must feel it, too. Look for signs of entrepreneurial activities around the neighborhood, whether it’s a family-owned café, restaurant, beauty salon, bookstore and more.
Also, try to visit one or more of these establishments to get a feel of what people seem like when they’re out in public. If everyone looks jovial and happy, and are greeting one another cheerfully, then you can take that as a good indication.
On the other hand, empty storefronts can signal you that it’s not the kind of neighborhood you want to live in. People are probably hesitant to invest their money on business in an unsafe area, so they close down or take their businesses somewhere else.
Try to look around and see how many houses and storefront building are abandoned to get a feel of how the neighborhood is, and if there’s too many, take that as a red flag. It most probably won’t be the best location for your dream home.
Conclusion
The level of safety and security in a neighborhood can profoundly impact your life. A safe downtown Boston neighborhood allows you to live peacefully and stress-free, knowing that there’s little to no crime going on around and that you and your kids can go out of your homes without the risks of potential danger.
If your gut instinct is telling you there’s something off about a particular neighborhood, then it’s probably because there is. And it probably won’t be your dream home. Don’t settle in a neighborhood where you are less than happy with. Go ahead and look for some more until you find one that you feel most secure in.
