Safety is Always a Concern, Especially when Buying

Clients ask me all of the time, “how safe is this neighborhood?”  The City of Los Angeles has 209 neighborhoods, and even has sub-neighborhoods within those areas.  Unfortunately, in most cases, safety is subjective.  What may feel safe to one person may not to another.  That is why, with my clients, I go over the following three points:

1. Look at the sources: The best ones I have come across are the Los Angeles Times Crime Map and CrimeMapping.com. The Los Angeles Times doesn’t say what neighborhood is safe or not, it just compares neighborhoods in terms of crime and gives a quick snapshot of what is going on in the area.  This makes it interesting because it is a general overview.  CrimeMapping.com is much more granular and shows you what crimes have been reported in a given area.  You can type in the address and see what is going on as far back as five months.
2. Keep into consideration local shops and restaurants: If you are looking in an area that has shops and restaurants, then there is a high probability that more crime is going to happen versus in more residential neighborhoods. Therefore look at what is happening through CrimeMapping.com on the desired street and immediate surroundings.  It may be quieter than what the general reports show.
3. Even Beverly Hills has crime: With as busy as Los Angeles and the surrounding areas are, crime happens more frequently than in many other more rural areas. The lowest reported crime areas are going to require that you either pay top dollar or it may not be as convenient of a location as you may like (such as up in the hills or further outside the City).  This is the reality of living in a major city.  However, on many lists for cities with the most crime, Los Angeles doesn’t make the list.  This is a good sign considering how populated the city is.

Unfortunately we live in a world where there are good guys and bad guys.  You can always take a look at your personal residence and see what options you can take to make your home safe.  This includes looking at condo complexes with gated access or setting up an alarm system throughout your home.  You have options and safety should always be a priority.  Hopefully with these tips you can determine what is safe by your standards.