How to Explore a Community When Buying a Home

When you invest in a home, you’re also investing in a community. The town where you buy Berkshire real estate or Upper Hudson Valley real estate will be where you shop, use community services, and do business. If your goal is to buy a primary residence, that’s the community where you’ll vote in local, state, and national elections.

 

So when you look for homes, it makes sense to learn about the communities in the areas where you’re house-hunting. One way to explore a community is by adding community tours to home viewings and open house visits. Another way is to do online research.

 

We’re sharing six practical tips for exploring a community while looking for Berkshire or Upper Hudson Valley real estate.

 

Every community in Berkshire County, MA or Columbia County, NY has its own local government. And every local government has its own official website. These websites are a trove of information for homebuyers.

 

The town of Lenox, for example, has an official website where you can learn about town governance, town history, and all local departments, boards, and committees. Lenox’s official town website serves as a community resource hub that includes such information as the following:

 

Every community in the Berkshires and Upper Hudson Valley has an official website where homebuyers can learn about similar community resources.

 

If you’re touring homes in person, take some time to locate the town offices. You can also do this online.

 

By town offices, we mean the town hall, town clerk’s office, police department, fire department, department of public works, and community center. Get familiar with their relative location to the home you’re considering buying. Once you move in, you’ll likely visit town offices to register to vote, pick up a residents park or beach pass, or apply for a building permit.

 

 

Public libraries are an asset to every community. Every community in the Berkshires and Upper Hudson Valley has its own public library or is part of regional library.

 

A visit to a public library can reveal a lot about a community. You can learn about community events and library programs, explore the museum passes program (most public libraries have them), find out whether the library offers a “library of things.” All these programs are offered at the Chatham Public Library in Chatham, NY, for example.

 

As you explore the community, find out where the U.S. post office is located. Add the nearest FedEx or UPS shipping office, too. If you buy a home in the community, you’ll be using these services. Knowing where they are in advance will save you time and effort.

 

Find out where and how to dispose of trash and recycling as part of your community exploration. Some communities provide curbside pickup of either trash or recycling or both. Other communities have transfer stations where residents bring trash and recycling.

 

Every community has its own trash and recycling rules and regulations. Trash disposal practices may not be on the top of your homebuying criteria. But the more you learn about a community, the more informed you’ll be when it comes time to make an offer on a home.

 

Finally, take a tour of the area to learn about nearby parks, recreational areas, conservation areas, and other community amenities. These are factors that can affect quality of life in a new home and community.