Nothing beats boots on the ground, in person walkthrough of a potential neighborhood. One item I always point out to clients is a 'car ratio'. If you drive through a neighborhood and it appears to have an abundance of cars parked on the street it can mean a few things. For one, lots of cars parked on the street could mean that the neighborhood predominantly has smaller garages, one car garages or no garages at all. It can also mean that homes might lack storage, pushing storage to the garage, and cars out to the street. Additionally, additional cars parked on the street might mean more rentals in the neighborhood, with every renter having their own vehicle. While having a good number of rental homes in your neighborhood isn't necessarily a bad thing, rentals can tend to be more poorly kept up - landscaping and exterior appearance might suffer, which could affect your home value. Take a walk or drive through a potential neighborhood at different times of day to get a good feel. Are the neighbors friendly? Do they keep their property in good shape?

While it pays to be in-person when scouting a neighborhood, utilizing a Realtor can certainly help narrow down the potential spots, and the insight we have to help you make a decision is second to none. Establish your needs and wants, and get on board - we'll handle the rest. Contact me if you're interested in making a move to Northern Colorado, we'll make the scouting a cinch!