How do you judge if an area is on the slide?

love_lifer

I'm trying to sell my home in an area that was ok 25 years ago but is now pretty rough and mono cultural.


One issue stopping me in my tracks is fear of moving somewhere that will deteriorate. How do you judge? I know it's impossible to foretell the future but I wondered if there are any sure signs or tips people have.


[As an aside, street checker website is excellent for assessing individual streets- loads of useful info on home ownership, crime, ethnicity etc]

PlymouthMaid

The signs around my way seem to be a proliferation of rental properties populated by non workers of many ethnic origins including home grown troublemakers. Also look out for untidy gardens, beer cans and people staggering back from the Spar shop with alcohol at 9.30 am. I used to live in a quiet residential street.

Southend1

Another early warning sign would be houses being converted to flats or HMOs. Or closure of a big local employer. I think there are lots of reasons why areas go up and down.

wwl

More bookies & fried chicken shops than estate agents on the high St.

Winter_Phoenix

When you find a property you are interested in, check out the postcode on the 'Crime Map' at https://www.police.uk to see how much reported crime (and what type of crime) occurs in that area.

As a general rule, if an area is immediately next to one which has recently become "gentrified" then it's likely to be on the way up, as people who can't quite afford the "gentrified" area properties will purchase nearby.

jm2926

I find number and type of cars can be useful. Last place I lived was all top end nearly new cars, then as the flats were rented out the cars got older and mid-low range. Over 8 years we went from a car park with some super interesting and unusual cars to being full of 10 yr old citreons etc

Rambosmum

Speed at which properties are selling. Number of charity shops (and their contents e.g. prada good, primark bad), number of pound type shops. Number of nice looking restaurants, quality of local school. All things which indicate the standing of an area. Obviously some of those change quickly, others over time.

skintpaul

Rubbish / furniture left on pavements.
Broken windows / fences.
Burning cars..?

Stevie_Palimo

You could look at business in the area like major employers and so on, You could also consider moving to a well to do area and hoping that does not go down hill, Basically your question here is how long is a piece of string and to know the answers on this well I believe you have more chance of being abducted by aliens and having your head probed than knowing 100% if an area will go downhill as it could happen anywhere.

love_lifer

Thanks. All food for thought. of course there's no absolutes with this but no harm trying to judge where things are headed.

Mallotum_X

Look for nice looking houses, good cars, people spending non essential money on their homes - porches being bout for example. Building work in general, if others are investing in the area that's usually a good sign. Good schools and transport links will mean others want to buy from you in future.

Watch out for lots of rentals, HMO's, scruffy gardens, dumped rubbish, broken fences and signs of deriliction.