Imagine you have a crystal ball that enables you to see what a neighbourhood will be like in five years. Wouldn’t that be handy? You’d be able to get a glimpse of the area’s future before deciding to move there.

Unfortunately, that crystal ball hasn’t been invented yet. But, you can still predict the future of a neighbourhood with a fairly high degree of accuracy. 

One way is to simply take a look around. Explore the neighbourhood. Get a sense of where the area is headed. Is there any new construction nearby? A new park? A new shopping mall? Any new activity can impact the character of the neighbourhood. New home construction nearby could mean more traffic, but that might be offset by improved infrastructure, such as a road expansion.

Another way to see a neighbourhood’s future is to access the myriad of data available. There are usually crime statistics, demographics, and other information available for you to review. 

One of the best ways to find out where a neighbourhood is going is to talk to the neighbours. That’s not always easy, but you may be able to strike up a conversation as you’re walking the area. Get their impression of neighbourhood trends. You can ask, for example, “Is the area getting more or less noisy?” or, “What kinds of people have been buying into this neighbourhood recently?”