4 Ways to Find the Perfect Neighborhood

Are you an introvert living in a neighborhood surrounded by extroverted neighbors who play loud music, have parties and/or use communal property like it's their back yard? This has become a common issue over the last year as people started working from home during the pandemic and boredom set in for some who found they weren’t quite as busy as they would normally be working in a busy office setting, or have kids who had to work from home.

Besides finding the neighborhood culture that works for you, there are also so many other factors to consider when finding the environment that works for you. I have moved so many times in my lifetime that I might as well be a resident of at least three different cities around the world. As I prepare for another move, I wanted to share a few tips on how to find that perfect neighborhood, whether you’re the quiet type or the type who needs the freedom to play instruments or be social.

As a writer, I need minimum ambient noise to do my best work. Besides that, I’m an introvert who thinks of my home as a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life so that I can recharge before going back out again. I’m also highly spiritual and like a peaceful environment to meditate. I’m the type to be on my own, read, write, watch TV in my home, and mind my own business.

I bought a condo in a suburban neighborhood I thought would be peaceful and quiet, despite it being within driving distance of the city. Not long after I moved into my new condo home during the pandemic, I realized I was surrounded by a few restless neighbors who thought it was okay to play their music (quite loudly) while practicing soccer in the communal green area, another in the unit below me had a theater-quality sound system for their movie-enjoying pleasure, one played his drums in the middle of the workday, and another liked to host parties late into the night with their windows open.

This is a common issue in neighborhoods with condo complexes, townhomes or homes close together where there may or may not be clear guidance from the Homeowners or Condo Association Rules & Regulations (most apartment complexes have clear rules about noise). I’m a big fan of people enjoying the homes they bought and paid for, but it gets tricky when your pleasures bump up against your neighbors’ need for peace and quiet. In my case, I eventually found that healthy balance with my neighbor, but it took a few reminders before we got to an agreement about checking in with each other before getting too wild and crazy.

Disclaimer: This list should be helpful to single or young professionals moving to suburban and urban neighborhoods in medium to large cities, and respects and reflects the diversity of typical American neighborhoods no matter the demographic makeup.

4 Ways to Choose Your New Neighborhood

1. Your Real Estate Agent is Your Best Source

When I talked to my real estate agent about neighborhoods, I asked her what she knew about each neighborhood. Is it mostly made up of young professionals, retired persons, or families? This makes a difference in the living experience you’d like to have. You might like living in a neighborhood with seniors or retired persons as your neighbors. They go to bed early, they’re probably not going to be playing loud music late at night, and let’s be honest, they’d probably share their garden harvest or bake cookies for their neighbors. Gotta love that personal touch. If you like social neighbors, then ask about neighborhoods that cater to the young and social types.

Not only could my real estate agent get into this level of detail with me, but she also gave me tips about whether it was a good walkable neighborhood, which parks were nearby, whether new development was increasing the value of the home and details about the schools (not that I had kids). We searched for homes at various times of the day on the weekends when people were being leisure, so you could tell if the neighborhood culture was one of super social party hards or the quiet and peaceful type.

2. Ask the Property Owner or Manager

If you’re moving into an apartment home or renting from someone in a building or complex with multiple floors, it behooves you to ask the property owner or manager about the community rules and regulations in advance. Just like in #1, you’re moving to a place where you may possibly be living for at least a year or more, so you’ll want to make sure you didn’t just move into a place that doesn’t suit your lifestyle. For example, if you need peace and quiet to study for a school exam, then you probably want to look at homes on the top floor so that you don’t have to hear the noise from above. There’s always the neighbor on the wall next to you, so ask about how thick the walls are. Not every property manager or owner will be truthful with you, so do the same research as potential homeowners and follow the tips below.

3. Neighborhood Apps

One of the things you’ll notice on the home search is that you’ll discover neighborhood names you never knew existed. Two years ago it was named one thing and this year it’s named something else — the better to rebrand recently gentrified neighborhoods. This is a great way to search for posts about the smaller communities within the town or city, like by the name of the condo, single-family home, or townhome community name. You can search that name on the NextDoor or other neighborhood apps to see what typical issues pop up and whether you can deal with them or not.

4. Do Your Own Research

With the real estate market being so hot right now in some major cities, you barely have time to research the home that just came on the market before you have to put a bid/offer on it. This is why it’s best to work with your real estate agent and hone in on a couple of neighborhoods you like in advance. You’ll want to know as much about the neighborhood as possible before you make such a big commitment and end up unhappy with your environment.

I did my own research on the rules of the homeowners or condo associations of the areas I wanted to buy in to see if I had the proper recourse for common issues as the ones I mentioned in the beginning of the story. For example, you may want to look for how they handle disputes with neighbors or noise complaints. You also may want to know what you’re responsible for as far as repairs to the structure of the building, plumbing, and the upkeep of the common areas.

If Moving Isn’t an Option

Not everyone can just up and move when they feel they’ve made the wrong choice. You may have just bought a home in a neighborhood using all of your savings, or have a lease for the next 12+ months. If that’s the case, then make the best of your situation by getting to know your neighbors and letting them know when you need some peace and quiet. Perhaps you can come to an arrangement where you take a walk or run errands if they plan on enjoying their music or practicing on their instruments. Or letting them know what time you go to bed and wake up. Most people are reasonable and will respect your wishes. If there are others who can’t, then you may need to further action by researching the city ordinances that apply if your community doesn’t have any.

Whatever reason you have for finding the neighborhood that works best for your lifestyle, you owe it to yourself to think long and hard about what environments you thrive in. Spending that extra time to find the perfect neighborhood is one way to live your best life in a place where you feel like you belong, while also not being that one person always complaining about noise levels. That may be the culture of the neighborhood, so you’re actually not in the right place.