If you’re looking at moving, chances are there are a number of questions that are consistently running through your mind. How many bedrooms and bathrooms? What is the budget? How big of a yard should you have? Aside from the physical characteristics of a home, there is one often overlooked component that you should focus on heavily as well: neighborhood. Here are a few things to consider when looking at the right neighborhood to move into.

Distance From Work

One aspect of a neighborhood that affects your life essentially every weekday will be how long your commute will be. Often times, in urban centers, the neighborhoods that are closest to the main central business district come with the highest price points on their houses and apartments. Distance from work can be a trade-off that you take for being able to secure a larger home that is a bit further from the office.

School Quality

Whether you currently have kids or are planning on it in the future, school quality is another essential aspect that you’ll need to consider in a neighborhood. However, be aware that a very good quality of public schools is another factor that can greatly drive up real estate prices. Real estate agents Dothan AL can help you sort through striking a balance in value in terms of school quality and price.

Livability

The final metric here is livability, or basically every aspect of the home that is not the property or the distance from school or work. This means considering whether the neighborhood is a nice place to walk, how far it is to your favorite restaurants and grocery stores and how nice the neighbors are.

Distance from work, school quality and livability are the three main aspects of home buying to consider when finding the right neighborhood to move into.