Buying a house is fundamental to the American Dream, and perhaps you're feeling dreamy this new year. So what neighborhoods should you look at?
Why, the ones that are trendy but still cheap, of course -- the up-and-coming 'hoods where home values will appreciate over the next few years as gentrification kicks in.
Real estate brokerage firm Redfin has identified the top ten hottest neighborhoods of 2013 by analyzing public records and verifying that the data was in line with what real estate agents were seeing on the ground, spokeswoman Roxie Sarhangi told The Huffington Post.
The hottest neighborhoods are all seeing shrinking selection, increasing sales and increasing prices. Redfin agents also cited new restaurants, a hip local vibe, good schools and convenient commutes among the factors that will drive buyers to these areas.
The list is based on how each area’s market was trending at the end of 2012 in four categories: on-market listings, sales volume, median price per square foot, and sale-to-list ratio. The data is based on activity from about 10,000 active homebuyers, from more than more than 130,000 listings in 16 markets, according to the firm.
"They’re once-gritty urban areas and far-flung suburbs with school districts on the rise," Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman said in a statement about the hottest 'hoods. "This is the surest sign that the recovery is broadening, and that home-buyers are venturing out to once-marginal areas hit hard when the bubble burst.”
Last year, Forbes' top ten hipster neighborhoods list caused quite an (organic latte) stir. Judged by factors such as walkability, number of coffee shops and frequency of farmers markets, the top hipsterhoods were pretty predictable: 1) Silver Lake, Los Angeles, 2) Mission District, San Francisco and 3) Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York.
But if appreciating home values matter more to you than the frequency of food trucks, check out the top ten hottest neighborhoods of 2013:
