There are various factors in our lives that could cause us to live in an area with high crime rate. As an example, you can only afford to buy or rent a house in that area. However, this could also mean that you will be more vulnerable to vandalism, robbery, burglary and theft. People could also decide to live in high crime neighbourhood to save commuting time to work or school. However, this decision could rob peace of mind from your lives. Replacing stolen items can be distressing, because when the crime rate is high enough, robbery or theft can be inevitable. As an example for the sake of saving a few hundred dollars a month in mortgage payment, you need to put up with drunken group of people, urine in the stairway, prostitutes right in front of your door and panhandlers who skulk around at 3AM.
Even the quietest and politest people can still be affected by crime, if they live in a risky neighbourhood. It is not uncommon for these people to get mugged for $5 each day and if they don’t comply, they will be in a risky situation. This could mean that you may spend at least $150 each month for dealing with mugging alone. So, it is a simple fact that although housing in risky areas can be significantly cheaper, the risks often far outweigh that. In other cases, people are not aware that they are actually entering a risky neighbourhood, due to little information provided by real estate companies. So, although a section of the neighbourhood seems to be quiet and neat, you still need to take a good look around. As an example, you should check whether there are long-term tenants nearby and how they live.
A good indication of inappropriate neighbourhood is when garbage is poorly managed. You should look at the garbage situation around the neighbourhood. If garbage is piling up, then there’s an indication that the neighbourhood has a problem. Small clues like demented-looking individuals who stare at you as you explore the neighbourhood are another indication that the neighbourhood is risky. A safe neighbourhood will be receptive to strangers who walk in the neighbourhood and you will see people smile at you genuinely, although they can still be somewhat cautious at first. Nearby apartment buildings with cluttered hallways is an obvious fact that there are low-income people nearby who don’t take care of the surrounding. Although low-income people are not necessarily bad, but they often live in a high risk neighbourhood.
When real estate agents are asked about bad things in the neighbourhood, they often say that these things will be fixed eventually and those suspicious people are only passerby. You shouldn’t trust them too easily and it is better to observe a neighbourhood for a few months before deciding to live in it. Again, there are always small sections of good-looking areas in a risky neighbourhood, but they end up becoming favourite targets of local thieves and burglars.