HOW TO FIND THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE

The current economic situation has brought out many home buyers and also has caused some to relocate for new jobs. Finding the right home and one that has the best chance of holding or increasing in value can be challenging; however, real estate experts say that areas where homes retain their values best in tough times tend to have certain factors in common.

KEEP THIS IN MIND
• Since real estate markets are local and vary neighborhood to neighborhood, home buyers should work with REALTORS® who are familiar with the areas in which the buyers are interested.REALTORS® can help narrow down the number of properties to those that meet the buyers’requirements.
• During the height of the market, many home buyers only could afford to purchase in the exurbs.However, long commutes and high gas bills also can take their toll on homeowners. According to Ken Shuman at Trulia.com, homes more than 40 miles outside city centers generally have declined in value the most. For example, Shuman says that homes in Antioch (45 miles from San Francisco) lost 37 percent of their value in the past 12 months, while those in Walnut Creek (25 miles away) declined 18 percent.
• Towns where zoning regulations make it more difficult to build have experienced smaller prices declines than towns that experienced huge building booms in recent years. “Prices are more likely to go higher if you can’t expand supply,” says Daniel McCue, research analyst the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies. Towns nestled against barriers such as large lakes or protected wetlands also usually limit expansion.
• Buyers can call the town or county planning office and ask how many acres of vacant land are in town, how much of it is zoned for residences, and the maximum number of homes that can be built. Requesting a copy of the town’s master plan also should tell buyers how much the housing stock is set to expand in the next 10 years.
• Homes in towns with stores, banks, and movie theaters are more likely to hold value than those that are nearly all residential, as people like to live near these services and jobs, and provide the town a stronger tax base to fund public service items, such as police.