Once you move to a new neighborhood, you probably want to know more about the people who live down the street or right next door. It’s not just about the curiosity: the fact is, you can never be too careful. There is always a possibility your neighbor has been convicted of a sexual offense in the past or maybe a drug dealer and involved in shady activities. It’s always better to be safe than sorry: here are 5 ways to find out more about your new neighbors with the help of the internet and technology.
Check Social Media
Do you ever think about your digital footprint? You’re probably not aware of the amount of personal information you reveal online. It’s fairly easy to check your neighbors this way once you get their names from the white pages. Facebook is extremely useful given the fact it can give you valuable insights not just about person’s habits and behaviors, but also information about their interests and whereabouts. This way, you can get a pretty good sense of the type of people you’ll be dealing with and who knows – maybe you’ll even come up with a great conversation starter once you meet them in person.
Join a Private Neighbor Network
If you want to get to know your neighbors better, NextDoor is rather popular. It is a private social network for your neighborhood where all residents can share locally relevant news, events, and recommendations. In addition, members list their interests and concerns. Whether you like to discuss block parties or you need a last-minute babysitter – this network makes a great way to connect and stay tuned for current events. The communication is easier and so is keeping an eye on your neighbors.
Snoop Around the Public Records
Another way to investigate your neighbors is to look through the online public records or even ask for a background check. Criminal records can be legally accessed, as well as public records regarding marital and some types of financial status. In the case of PeopleFinders, the online database is filled with this type of information, but people may require the removal of their public records, which is in accordance with the Privacy Policy. The data is obtained legally from several different sources, such as property records or government agencies.
Scan Their Political Background
Political choices can tell you a lot about a person, her values, and way of thinking. In order to commit to a certain political ideology, you need to identify with the offered position. You can scan your neighbors’ political background through the Advanced Transaction Query By Individual Contributor. Although this can only reveal the names of those who donated money in support of a certain party, it’s still a useful piece of information in case you happen to find your neighbor’s name in the database. You may search through names, cities, states, and ZIP codes.
Browse Through the Criminal Stats
To check if your new neighborhood is indeed safe, you can use tools such as NeighborhoodScout and familiarize yourself with the important crime reports from your area. Be it the overall crime rate, violent or property crime statistics – with this tool you can stay up to date. In addition to crime data, you can see the demographics, real estate trends, and in-depth details about each address you’re interested in.
One glance at the modern news and you’ll see there’s a reason people have become a bit mistrustful to one another. In any case, there’s nothing wrong in being a bit cautious afore meeting your neighbors. Hopefully, they will turn out to be lovely people and great, supportive friends.
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