By Kathy Henne

Contributing columnist

You’ve probably heard that the most important features of any property are location, location and location! It’s been a cliché since the dawn of the real estate industry, and with good reason.

A national real estate company recently commissioned a survey that found when buyers begin looking for a home, the single most important feature is the neighborhood. Not the type or size of the home, but its location.

As a matter of fact, nearly three quarters of those surveyed reported they would happily sacrifice the notion of a “dream home” to be able to live in their dream neighborhood.

This makes complete sense, because the home must offer close proximity to work, service businesses, schools, recreation, dining, entertainment, and so on. You don’t move into a home so much as you move into a community.

The five most desirable traits buyers look for are neighborhood safety, good schools, the home’s feel, the home’s size, and a short commute to work.

As a buyer, you’ll probably begin your home search on the internet. You’ll check Realtor.com and local realtors’ websites. With most realtors using IDX, you can search for homes in the local multiple listing service on your local realtors’ websites. IDX is the agreement between brokers allowing their listings to be displayed on other agents’ websites. This saves buyers time and energy. You can go to their websites and search for homes in your area, drive by the homes, narrow down your list and call your agent to take you through the three or four that are at the top of your list.

A new home can be yours. It’s easy and fun!

Contact the Kathy Henne Team Re/MAX by calling 937-778-3961