Would you buy a car without test driving it? Probably not. Similar to buying a car, test driving a neighborhood will give you a better idea if you truly love the property and the community. Here are two things you can do...
Check Out The Neighborhood
When my wife and I bought our home, we drove through the neighborhood at different times of the day. We felt it was important to see the neighborhood during the day and night and during the weekday and weekend. We also ran our errands in the neighborhood too. We shopped at the nearby grocery store, we ate at the restaurants, and we went walking in the area. All these things made it easier on submitting an offer.
Go Through Your Daily Routine
Another thing you can do is go through your daily routine. Let’s say you were buying a 2-bed condo in Hawaii Kai. You could wake up early, drive out to Hawaii Kai, and drive to your first destination. After work, you would run your errands and drive back out to Hawaii Kai.
Traffic is an ongoing problem in Honolulu. You might love the home, but you might hate the commute. For many, the commute can be a dealbreaker if you are stuck in traffic during the morning and after work.
-Roda