Choosing a Community that Meets Your Needs

What factors should you consider while picking a community?

Finances

Incentives
Tax Rates, Fees
Apreciating or Depreciating

Amenities
geology
Activities
Crime, Crime Rate
Schools
Houses of Worship
Ingress and Egress
Transportation
Medical Services
Shopping

Finances

Some local governments offer first time home buyers programs. Will the area you are considering require flood insurance? What is the tax rate? Is the government planning large expendentures, such as building a new school system that will change the rate? Is the area improving? Appreciating in value? A growing area?

Amenities

What services does a municipality offer its inhabitance? Senior citizens centers? Parks? Tennis courts? Some even have public golf courses. Bike Paths? Private or public trash collection? Is there a limit to how much trash they will take each week? If you have erxcessive amounts a particular week will they allow direct access to landfill? Water? Has the water been tested for quality? How much do they charge per unit? Sewage? Public sewage system? How many utility systems are involved? Local? Local and County? or is it a cesspool or a septic tank? ( if so what condition. how recently serviced?) . How effiecient are they at plowing the street?

Geology, And Meteorology, Effects There of

What is the hieght of the water table? Will the basement become a swimmiing pool?

Activities

Crime, Crime Rate

Note It may be that all town do not report. FBI : https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2018/crime-in-the-u.s.-2018/home. see our web page on this subject. NJ State Police: https://www.nj.gov/njsp/ucr/current-crime-data.shtml latest report: https://www.nj.gov/njsp/ucr/current-crime-data1.shtml?agree=0 Please note date of report normally the previous years.

Note that crime can vary from street to street. If the property is located next to a highway, easy access so somebody can steal a car and leave the area quickly. it might make a diffence, therfore check local sources as well.

Schools

The ratings released by the state (NJ) were established to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. The ranking of 50 means average. A critizism with the system is that it is not representitive of all the features of the school. ( As a person that has subtute taught in the school system I can tell you that there is a lot of pressure placed upon the teachers to cover just what is on the exam allowing little time to be certain that the student understand and can use what they are learning or how it fits with the rest of the world. ( that is secondary ). https://www.nj.gov/education/doedata/fact.shtml, gives information about school districts, https://www.nj.gov/education/doedata/fact.shtml presents searchable data and ratings about the schools. Not everybody is happy about the rating systems see articles such as "https://patch.com/new-jersey/pointpleasant/every-nj-school-graded-2020-state-report-where-do-you-rank" (please note that this perticular article is from 2020.

Houses of Worship

There are greater than 5000 religions in the world. With what is considered 5 major (by membership or identing with ). Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, and Buddhism. I could not possibly give, nor would be appropriate to attempt to review or give information aboutwhich ouse would be the best fit for whom.

Ingress and Egress

The roads reach the purposed neighborhood are they maintained? Who or which agency? Federal, State , local or is the road private? How many roads? Just one leading only into the development? Allows for the area to be quiet and safer for children, less traffic? What are the chances of being closed or obstructed? Many roads would insure access, yet increase traffic and noise.

Transportation

Having a regular place that you feel that you must be upon a regular basis, such as work you should be certain that are multiple method to reach the place. Space Shuttle, Air ports, Air Planes, Helicopter, dirigible, Trains, Buses, Cars, Lifts, Ubers, Taxis, Bicycles, Skate Boards, Shoe Leather.....

How far, or and long long do you wish to travel to your dailey destination? Is there alternate transpertation? Plane, Train, Bus, Car Walking if needed?