Is Living Near A School A Smart Investment?
Well, the children are now fully settled into the school year so it’s a good time to check out the neighborhood and find out what it’s like to live where there is a school. Do you plan to live there or invest to then resell? Either way, the statists say that living near a school can add up to $200,000 when living near a school. That’s whether or not you have children in the long run. Of course, schools mean kids! So, the age and quality of school district makes a huge difference.
Living near an elementary school is generally a good investment. In all honesty, you must consider that it will mean you’ll hear a bell about every 45 minutes during the school day only. Parents will be dropping the children off at school but only parking for a short time to do same. Some parents can be rather rude while doing so, sometimes blocking your driveway, thinking their precious child is worth your inconvenience. Weekends will be very quiet with no parking issues. Remember that especially if you have children, living near the school has so many amenities it’s tremendously worth it. Your own child can walk to school, saving you the cost of driving or paying the fee of the bus. There is more police presence, also keeping the neighborhood/children safer. You can usually keep an eye on him/her while walking to school. It encourages independence, as well as an ability to sleep in a bit longer! If your child forgets something, it’s easy to walk back to retrieve it (something my children do often!).
Another amenity often forgotten is that a school has fields, basketball, baseball, and soccer courts, playgrounds … all available after school. You can keep an eye on your children by simply looking out the window or sitting outside in the yard. You and your family can utilize these fields after school and weekends so this encourages more physical activity for all.
Move on to middle school and high school. Now this is something more to consider. This age is louder and uses the fields, etc. more often after school. There are marching bands, football games, more walking traffic, etc. as they learn to drive, and longer hours. You’ll need to consider the pros and cons of this age. There are still many good things about living close to the school even with the middle school, but the high school age does usually wants to get out of there as soon as possible once they can drive. However, if they don’t drive, you do hear more noise after school hours. That’s when a better school district is the most important. They are stricter and won’t allow that activity.
I suggest you look up greatschools.org before investing in a home near a school. Remember, there are not only public schools to consider but also private, which are much stricter, and usually have a parking lot so cut down on parking issues. Also, knock on doors so you can talk to neighbors. They’re you’re best information resource. Drive in the neighborhood on a Monday, Friday, and even on the weekend to find out what goes on near that school. Actually, I’d give the same advice when living near a church. A real estate agent will not give you this advice. Think towards the future and how this will impact your resale value. Make a list of pros and cons. All statistics show you are making a good decision, especially as a parent. It may very well be worth the investment.