Does crime have an effect on property values?

Legacy_user

I ask because I'm currently buying, and there has recently been a spate of serious crime in the area, including a murder in close vicinity of the property. I'm waiting for more details to come out, but I'm already having serious thoughts about walking away from it. I already had some concerns about security, because it's a ground floor flat with bedroom windows exposed to the street, this just makes me feel even more apprehensive.

Bart1

Is the pope a catholic?

davidmcn

It's low-level antisocial behaviour which is more likely to be a problem (serious crimes are less likely to involve innocent bystanders).

But if you're feeling apprehensive then ask yourself if anything would reassure you - if not then best to walk away, you don't want to live in a place where you're forever twitchy about noises outside etc.

bouicca21

I don't think it is just low level anti social behaviour you should be thinking about, it's also the level of drug related crime. Have a word with the local police/community support officers and check out the crime stats for your area.

Until I bought a flat very recently, I was living in a supposed high crime inner city area. I had no qualms about living there or walking late at night. I have now moved to a ground floor flat in a lower crime area, but I will still be getting a burglar alarm, just because ground floor = vulnerable.

Cyberman60

Yes !!!:eek: Obvious is is not ?

I_have_spoken

If the murder was a one-off 'domestic' I'd consider it, but sounds more like drugs/gang crime in which case certainly walk away

densol_2

It never ceases to amaze me that places like Hackney and Tower Hamlets are very very expensive to live in and have horrific crime levels - very serious gang and drug related too !

needabed

If this was the system you would have criminal gangs causing a high crime rate to lower prices. Then they buy some properties and stop the crime wave, letting prices rise to sell on at a profit.

AdrianC

densol wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me that places like Hackney and Tower Hamlets are very very expensive to live in and have horrific crime levels - very serious gang and drug related too !

What would their prices be like if they were "nicer", though, given their location...?

System

bouicca21 wrote: »

I don't think it is just low level anti social behaviour you should be thinking about, it's also the level of drug related crime. Have a word with the local police/community support officers and check out the crime stats for your area.

I've sent an email to the PCSO for the area. Hopefully he can give me some insights.

I used the police.uk website to check the area. It's hard to draw any conclusions from really. There's some crime reported in the area, but no more than what's reported on most streets i.e. 1-2 'minor' crimes a month.

dirty_magic

Google the illustreets crime map, it colour codes the areas. Not sure how accurate it is but I've found it useful. It does tend to just put every council estate in red though! It does affect prices and I probably wouldn't buy it if it was a horrible area.