Why Community Matters More Than You Think When Buying a Home
Community: More Than Just a Place to Live
I live on a cul-de-sac with 16 homes. On our street, there are 23 school-aged children. TWENTY-THREE! The majority of these kids are ages 12 and under.
Our street is the type of place that only needs half a reason to party…
At Christmas time, we have a 40-foot inflatable Santa Claus next to a community Christmas tree. Every house is decked out to the 9’s, and starting December 1, there’s a parade of cars checking out our street every night.
For Halloween, every house is decorated, and the entire neighborhood comes to our street for the haunted house we set up.
We have 5 pickleball courts painted on the street and regular tournaments with dozens of participants.
Every holiday comes with a potluck or a community dinner, and there are kids playing in the street from sun up to sun down, every single day!
Different Reactions to Our Community
When people hear about or experience my cul-de-sac, everyone has an opinion. I get one of two responses:
"This would be my dream! What an incredible place you get to live."
"That sounds like a NIGHTMARE!"
The Overlooked Aspect of Home Buying
The irony is that when I meet with a new client, almost nobody talks about what kind of community they want to live in.
Every single client talks budget, bedrooms, bathrooms, backyard space, what city they want to live in, etc. But very few ever talk about what they want their community to be like!
Why Community Should Be a Top Priority
What I don’t understand about this is that you can make changes to almost any house to suit your needs. You can update, add space, re-do your yard, create privacy, add windows, etc., but the one thing you can’t change is your neighbors or the community that you’re moving into.
In my opinion, community is the single most important aspect of moving to a new home.
As social beings, we need other people. Some people want their neighbors closer than others; some may want to be miles away from the next closest house. Either way, you need to choose your community!
What Does Your Dream Community Look Like?
In your dream world, what does the community around your home look like? Take some time to think about it. It’s a crucial part of finding a place where you’ll truly feel at home.
