4 Ways to Check the Safety of a Neighborhood

When you first start searching for a new home, it can be easy to get caught up in styles, sizes and prices, and overlook one of the most important details: location.

Choosing the right neighborhood is just as important as choosing the right home. Keep reading to learn four easy ways to check the safety of a neighborhood before you start shopping homes in it.

1. Take a Drive After School

One of the best ways to get an idea of whether you'll feel safe in a neighborhood with your own children is to see whether other parents feel the same way. To get a sense of whether parents let their little ones play outside in the evening on their own or whether people feel safe walking the street is to drive down it. Aim to take your drive after normal school hours have let out but before dinner time. This is a time when many kids go out to play and pet parents walk their dogs.

2. Ask About Neighborhood Watch

Another resource for finding out about the safety of an area is by looking for a neighborhood watch program and speaking to someone who is on it. Neighborhood watch programs emerge for a couple of reasons. One is that a neighborhood has experienced a few crimes, and concerned homeowners decide that they want to put a stop to it. But safe neighborhoods can also have crime watches in an effort to keep crimes from nearby areas from spilling over.

Social media has also made it easier to find neighborhood watch programs in an area. Search for groups on Facebook to see if there are any in the area; you can either request to join and see what members are saying, or send a message to the group asking about what the neighborhood is like and whether they feel that it is safe. You can also find neighborhood watch programs in your area with a quick search on the national neighborhood watch database.

3. Look for Security Cameras

As you're taking that drive through the neighborhood, keep your eyes open for security cameras. If every home or business you pass has one, it could be an indicator that there has been a rash of thefts or break-ins. However, security cameras can also mean that a neighborhood's residents prioritize safety. They may put cameras up as a precaution, even if there haven't been any crimes.

Then, once you decide to move to the neighborhood, join in and add your own HD 4K security system to keep your home and family — and the neighborhood — safe.

4. Check Crime Rate Stats

Perhaps the most obvious way to find out whether a neighborhood is safe or not is by checking crime rate statistics online. There are a number of websites that let you check incident reports, police records and more for specific neighborhoods.

Keep in mind that while these reports can be a great indicator of neighborhoods that are dangerous, you probably can't judge an area based on those reports alone. One bad neighbor could cause quite a few police reports, while a shady neighborhood doesn't necessarily need to have a lot of incidents reported to be considered unsafe. Use the other indicators on this list to get a better idea, and trust your gut — just because the stats say an area should be safe doesn't mean that you feel safe moving yourself and your family there.

How to Tell if a Neighborhood Seems Safe

Before you consider buying a home in a new neighborhood, it's important to make sure that you're moving your family somewhere safe. From taking a drive through the neighborhood to checking for a neighborhood watch, looking out for security cameras and checking crime stats, these simple strategies will help ensure that you feel safe and secure in your new home.