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The housing market has gone through turmoil in the past few years. The downturn in the market has made it a buyer-s market. The price of housing has seen a downtrend, making it perfect for home buyers. The downside to cheaper housing is more foreclosures. Owners that cannot sell at the price they need are forced to walk away from a mortgage, which is underwater.

Before picking out a neighborhood subscribe to the local paper.Didn-t catch that? This explains it. Use the paper to keep track of crime trends in the new neighborhood. This gives somewhat of an indication but not the whole picture. Realtors because of ethics issues cannot speak to the safety of a neighborhood or the quality of the neighbors. One thing prospective buyers can do is drive the neighborhood. An indication of problems would be houses that are vacant, trash piled up and lawns that are unkempt. While in the neighborhood, does one get a feeling of something wrong? Instinct or gut feelings should not be ignored.

Stop by the local store and start up a conversation, are the store patrons or owner hesitant to talk to strangers. This may indicate problems in the past with customers, customers that may well live in the neighborhood. Realtors can find the best bargains and many times never give a thought to how safe the area is. This means prospective buyers must investigate the neighborhood on their own.

A home just two years ago, that was unaffordable is now affordable, high-priced homes were traditionally located in safer neighborhoods. Things have changed, how well are the lower- priced homes maintained now. Do the homes and owners in general, show pride in where they live? Is there an organized neighborhood watch? Criminals pick the easy targets, and if they are aware of a neighborhood watch, they may look for easier targets. These are just some of the questions prospective home buyers should ask themselves.