Helpful House Hunting Tip #27

   When on the prowl for a new pad it is always a good idea to check out neighborhoods you think might be the place you want to live forever (or even for just a few years) on the worst possible days - say, on a bitterly cold day following 6 or 7 inches of snowfall.

   Are neighbors out shoveling/snowblowing driveways and sidewalks? If so, that's a neighborhood worth considering.

   Especially if it's a non-HOA neighborhood.

   For the sole reason that it shows both responsibility and pride, and those are traits you should be looking for in potential new neighbors.

   After all, you can change just about anything you don't like about a house (with the proper permits, of course), but you can't change your neighbors.