Thursday, September 29, 2011

Tips for Checking Out New Neighborhoods Online

If you are moving from out of town or out of state, it can be a challenge to get a feel for a place you may be moving to.  While nothing compares to visiting and talking to locals to get a feel, there are some good online resources you can use if that is not an option.

Virtual Stroll
Pamela and I used Google Maps and its StreetView functionality to actually see what "Main Street" looked like and whether it was inviting.  You can do this by zooming all the way in on a map.  Once you hit the final zoom, the map converts to a view of the street, which Google takes by driving cars equipped with cameras and GPS devices around town.

Forums
I found that the forums on City-Data were very useful.  A lot of the questions you would like to ask have probably already been asked - "how are the schools?  what is the nightlife like?  what is there to do?  pros/cons?".  There is also a vibrant community of forum users who provide helpful responses very quickly.

Local News
Finding the local newspaper isn't always the easiest, but with a few good Google searches, you can probably be successful.  Through the local news, I found out about local events and attractions and you can also learn about the key local issues such as upcoming tax hikes, crime, new developments, etc.

Search
"Where to live in ____".

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