Up or Down? How to Know Which Way a Neighborhood is Heading

Author

Roger Blankenship
October 15, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

In partnership with

How to pick the right global payroll mode

Find your fit: Deel’s free guide breaks down 3 global payroll models with key benefits and tradeoffs for HR and finance teams.

The Investor’s Field Guide to Spotting Change

Every investor claims they can “feel” when a neighborhood’s on the way up. Most of them are guessing. A few are right—but only because they did the homework.

When I’m sizing up an area, I start with boots (ok, maybe sneakers!) on the ground and a few clicks behind the screen. I’ll have my agent pull the past year’s activity—how many homes were bought, renovated, and flipped. If that number’s high, the area’s likely gentrifying. If no one’s swinging a hammer, there’s usually a reason.

Then I look at the schools. Bad schools don’t automatically scare me off—I just don’t hold there. Flips can work fine in areas that are improving but not yet “family-ready.” Rentals, on the other hand, need decent schools if you want stable tenants and predictable renewals.

Online, I’ll cross-check crime stats, permit data, and price trends. In person, I’ll drive the streets—twice. Are roofs being replaced or ignored? Are lawns trimmed or forgotten? Is there one more car on cinder blocks than feels reasonable? Those details tell the truth faster than any market report.

Neighborhoods rise and fall for hundreds of small reasons, but investors profit by spotting direction early. Look past the hype, read the signs, and act before the crowd does. By the time everyone agrees it’s “up and coming,” the profits are already gone.

Sticking with the same home insurance could cost you

Home insurance costs are rising fast, up nearly 40% nationwide in just the past few years. With premiums changing constantly, sticking with the same provider could mean overpaying by hundreds of dollars. Shopping around and comparing multiple insurers can help lock in better rates without losing the protection your home needs. Check out Money’s home insurance tool to shop around and see if you can save.