Real estate information for the mid-peninsula of San
Francisco: the Silicon Valley.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Is this a safe neighborhood?
“Is this a safe neighborhood”? ... is a
question that we as Realtors® often hear from clients. (side note: a Realtor® is
a real estate agent who is a member of the National Association of Realtors®,
who adheres de facto to a very strict code of ethics - not all agents are
Realtors®).
What people typically do not know is that as
Realtors®, we are not allowed to answer such a question: it could be construed
as discrimination. Also, the opinion about how safe an area is can be so
personal and relative!
I find that the best way to answer such a concern is to advise my clients to come back at different times of the day and walk around in the neighborhood, and talk with the neighbors as much as possible. I would add that I believe it is always a good idea to do so, no matter how pretty or ugly an area may look. You can learn a lot about a street, a block or a group of blocks by talking with the people living directly in the area.
Finally one has to remember that conditions change
all the time: I live in an area that is fairly uneventful when it comes to
crime, except that in the past few weeks there have been a well publicized
increase in break-ins and thefts in that general part of Mountain View. So the
best way to answer such a question is to check for yourself with the police
department and get a crime report, to talk to the neighbors (who will often tell
you a lot about what happens nearby - and sometimes more than you want…), and
also look at some internet resources on the subject. Here are, below, some of
the sites that I have come across in the past; but I recommend to check
carefully how they collect their information, and what exactly they cover and do
not cover.
Local market trends
Current Mortgage rates ... Higher!!
What people typically do not know is that as
Realtors®, we are not allowed to answer such a question: it could be construed
as discrimination. Also, the opinion about how safe an area is can be so
personal and relative!I find that the best way to answer such a concern is to advise my clients to come back at different times of the day and walk around in the neighborhood, and talk with the neighbors as much as possible. I would add that I believe it is always a good idea to do so, no matter how pretty or ugly an area may look. You can learn a lot about a street, a block or a group of blocks by talking with the people living directly in the area.
Finally one has to remember that conditions change
all the time: I live in an area that is fairly uneventful when it comes to
crime, except that in the past few weeks there have been a well publicized
increase in break-ins and thefts in that general part of Mountain View. So the
best way to answer such a question is to check for yourself with the police
department and get a crime report, to talk to the neighbors (who will often tell
you a lot about what happens nearby - and sometimes more than you want…), and
also look at some internet resources on the subject. Here are, below, some of
the sites that I have come across in the past; but I recommend to check
carefully how they collect their information, and what exactly they cover and do
not cover.
Some good information may also
be found in the local newspaper. For instance in the Mountain View Voice under
"Crime Brief" or "Police Log", and for Palo Alto "the Pulse" (PA Weekly). Each
local paper has a similar section. One may need to check the evolution over a
period of time to better judge a neighborhood.
Thanks for reading,
as always!,
Francis
Current Mortgage rates ... Higher!!
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