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You’re more than a salesperson—you’re a strategic consultant, and your clients rely on your guidance to make sound buying decisions. Your buyers turn to you for the latest news about the neighborhoods you serve.
Of course, you may not have all the answers, and that’s okay! The internet offers countless websites and apps for anyone looking to learn more about a given neighborhood, and we’ve highlighted five of the very best.
Get Raw Neighborhood Data with City-Data
While not available as an app, the City-Data website is a great place to start. Get a broad overview of the relevant data in cities (and individual neighborhoods) across the United States.
Learn about things like weather patterns, crime rates, schools, property values, and local demographics. It’s a great place to go for raw data, and the stats are presented with graphics that are easy to understand.
Create Custom Data Reports with NeighborhoodScout
In addition to information about crime rates and public school ratings, NeighborhoodScout offers comprehensive real estate data reports using custom analytics.
Plus, this website allows you to search for neighborhoods based on ideal “lifestyle” criteria, such as family-friendly neighborhoods, retirement destinations, areas with young professionals, and more.
Detailed reports are available by subscription starting at $39.99 for ten reports per month.
Determine Neighborhood Walkability with Walk Score
This website (and app) gives prospective home buyers a feel for the “walkability” of a neighborhood—how close it is to restaurants, cafes, parks, schools, etc.
Walk Score also provides some great data regarding commutes and public transit. For example, if your clients are moving to a new city where they already have jobs lined up, they can use Walk Score to figure out commute options for different neighborhoods.
Nothing is worse than moving to a new city and discovering that your 20-mile ride becomes a two-hour commute during rush hour! Walk Score can help set expectations.
Find the Best Educational Opportunities with GreatSchools
This nonprofit website allows parents to learn about a school’s performance, average test scores, student-to-teacher ratio, equity score, etc. Your clients can use GreatSchools to find neighborhoods with the right schools for their children.
This information is provided in an easy-to-read report with explanations of each data point, so your clients can make a smart decision with their kids’ futures in mind.
Tour the Neighborhood with Google Street View
You’ve likely used “street view” on your phone to identify landmarks near your destination before you drive there. This feature is also a great tool for buyers to get a feel for a neighborhood before considering moving there.
Keep in mind, however, that nothing substitutes an actual drive-through. The fish-eye lens of the camera mounted on the Google car distorts images a bit, so hills and tall buildings will look a little different online. And of course, certain backroads, gated communities, and rural areas may not show up on street view.
That said, it’s a nice way to check out a neighborhood if you can’t visit in person.
Reference to any specific brand, product, or service does not constitute an endorsement by ORHP. ORHP does not receive compensation for providing third-party links.
