Factors to Consider to Help Determine Where to Find Your New Home
- Adam Garrett
- Apr 10, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Aug 20
Jamestown - Image by Adam
While there are algorithm-based responses to the question of "What is the Best Area to Buy In?" there are currently severe limitations to those algorithms taking into account personal preferences, where a more in-depth dive below is highly beneficial.
Area Free/Paid Amenities/Things to Do
Free Things to Do in & Around VA (1500+ Options worldwide, with likely >97% in VA or an adjacent state, and >90% in VA).
Virginia Shopping Map (focused on SE VA, but including other parts of VA & some outside VA
Best Hospital Ratings in the US: Where to Find it & Mapped for in & Around Virginia
Crime
The color coded maps on Crimegrade & the pinpointed recent crimes on Spotcrime are solid, as are the grades on Citi Data which I list in spreadsheet form for SE VA in my SE VA City Information & Real Estate Info. Generally rally speaking, the lower the values and the higher the population density, the higher the crime rates:
There are other crime indexes as well. Here's another version from USA.com throughout VA
For more details, see: Crime When Searching for a Home
Distressed vs Prosperous Index
Those wishing to buy in lower-cost areas often sacrifice the benefits of being in a prosperous community. Per EIG, "The seven components of the index are:
No high school diploma: Share of the 25 and older population without a high school diploma or equivalent.
Housing vacancy rate: Share of habitable housing that is unoccupied, excluding properties that are for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use.
Adults not working: Share of the prime-age (25-54) population that is not currently employed.
Poverty rate: Share of the population below the poverty line.
Median income ratio: Median household income as a share of metro area median household income (or state, for non-metro areas and all congressional districts).
Changes in employment: Percent change in the number of jobs over the past five years.
Changes in establishments: Percent change in the number of business establishments over the past five years."
There's an excellent distressed vs prosperous communities index map here broken down by zip code:
Here it is broken down by district:
Here it is broken down by county/city:
Here's a closer look:
South Side
Peninsula:
Middle Peninsula:
Northern Neck:
Greater Richmond:
Environmental Factors
See my environmental area guide for this massive element of a home purchase. It covers the following:
FEMA's Composite Weather Risk Index (Best Rating to Middle Ratings in VA)
Snowfall Map
Radon Zones
Wind Map
Tornado Risk Map
Wild Fire Risk Map
Hurricane Evacuation Zones
Flood Zones
Wetlands Map
Air Quality & Sickness by Area
Temperatures
Elevation
Termites
Differences in Government Policy
SE VA City Information & Real Estate Property Info (see "law" tab)
It's best to verify the accuracy and up-to-date nature of information online on .gov websites (& sometimes, calling into governments or other sources) regarding differences in government policy, even from trusted/reputable sources. A prime example is below, where Wallethub grossly under-reported the # of states with estate/inheritance tax rates.
Political Party Affiliation of Cities & Counties
For some, the political party of the city or county (& even the state) is important prior to buying or renting in an area. Reasoning for that can vary but may include factors like being involved in local politics & political groups, tax rates, tax relief for those of low income, gun laws, free amenities, public transportation, how one's taxes support charitable efforts like helping the homeless, & more.
Thankfully, there are some relatively user-friendly options to check that these days. One of the top ways to check without involving a map is the tax rate or population density. More population-dense areas of a state will tend to be more Democrat, and lower tax-rate areas will tend to be more Republican.
Here's the info for the 2020 VA Senate Race, with very similar presidential & senate positions, with Republican cities/counties in red & Democratic cities/counties in blue:
Estate Tax Variance by State (No Estate Tax in VA)
An article published a few years ago that is more accurate than certain newer articles I've seen states that 17 states plus Washington DC have an estate &/or inheritance tax.
Rate Basics by State
Some of the Online info is Wrong on # of States w/ Estate Tax
Loan Differences Depending on Area
10+ Types of No Down Payment Required Mortgages (while most in the article are available in many locations, a wide variety of programs are specific to regions, cities, & counties)
Good Neighbor Next Door Program (50% off homes) that must be used in the city/county in which you serve exclusively for “EMTs, teachers, firefighters, & law enforcement"
More Metrics by City/County, Zip Code, Etc.
Prices of Homes for Sale
I have an article dedicated to prices with several other mapping tools for metrics here.
Here's an example from it of prices by city/county (best viewed on desktop; view on mobile here):
US Affordability Maps based on household income by City/County w/ 20% down payment on 30 year mortgage in 2024
"Notes: A home is affordable when monthly mortgage payments don’t exceed 30% of the household’s monthly income, assuming a 20% down payment on a 30-year mortgage."
Keep in mind as well that even those unable to supply 20% down payment can sometimes acquire it via programs to reduce home cost, often with requirements for how long you will need to stay in your home not to have to pay all or a portion of that assistance at the time you move out.
Based on $60k Household Monthly Income
In SE VA, the below includes affordable counties of (in yellow) Emporia, Greensville County, Hampton, King and Queen, Newport News, Petersburg, Portsmouth, Richmond County, Sussex County
Based on $80k Household Monthly Income
Based on $100k Household Monthly Income
Unsurprisingly, much of the area surrounding DC is out.
Based on $120k Household Monthly Income
Virginia Ranked 19 of 50 States for Homeownership & Maintenance Costs (Key if Looking at a Cash Purchase Especially &/or Retirement Costs After Home Paid Off)
Among the states ranked by most expensive to maintain a home in 2024 when considering average annual home ownership costs, including property taxes, insurance, home maintenance (2% of the value per year), & utility bills for a typical single-family home, VA was ranked #19 by Bankrate.
School Districts
School districts vary substantially in some counties/cities (I've seen Great Schools grades from 1-9 in the same city in SE VA), but some cities/counties are better than others. Niche has a solid list where you can filter by cost of living and school grade for the whole county. Keep in mind that while there's lowest cost of living in SE VA according to Niche (Sussex County), for the lowest cost of living, you're generally talking about the least number of things to do and the lowest job prospects.
It's not unusual to see these change over time, as they do in this example:
Niche has a solid school district based ranking, and so does Greatschools.
For more details, see:
Transportation/Commute
Whether you're looking to live close to family, close to your place of work, or wondering if mass transit or tolls are present, it's important to factor in transportation into your home acquisition considerations.
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