Originally Posted by PaulC

A general comment - I would shy away from buying a personal residence that is located adjacent to a commercial/industrial/institutional zone, as the current use of the commercial property may be converted into something more objectionable during the term of your homeownership. I recall one example in my area where a decent housing development was built adjacent to a large undeveloped area that was zoned commercial. When the residences were constructed, the commercial area was a nice quiet patch of woods. A few years later, the commercial property was converted into a driving range, complete with high-mounted flood lights to allow evening hours. Those homeowners who previously were able to enjoy a nice quiet summer evening on the front porch are now lit up like prisoners trying to sneak out of their barracks at Stalag 17. Yes, they can sell and move away, but the new commercial development has dinged the resale value of their property.

Originally Posted by aklim

What is the CMA of that area?

Originally Posted by Zeus

Graplr -

I at one point researched the effect of promixity of federal prisons on property value and what I found suprised me.

Some of the most expensive real estate in the city was beside the prison. Literally a stone's throw away.

Several studies on the subject found no real correlation between the proximity of the prison and home values. It is much more based on the actual neighbourhood and crime, etc., independent of the prison's geographic location. In other words, if a good neighbourhood happens to be adjacent to a prison, it's still a good neighbourhood. If it is a ghetto, it's a ghetto, etc.

As far as crime rates - again, it's more based on the city as a whole and the neighbourhoods - not due to prison location, etc. When you think about it, a prison has a large security force working within and around it. Beside the city's police force, you have correctional officers, security officers, prison staff, associated doctors and service providers, etc. In other words, plenty of people who could potentially recognize a convict. If convicts were to escape (not as common today with the advances in security technology), the prisoner isn't going to hang around the prison. They will try to leave the city asap. Perhaps some mentally ill prisoners might wander around, but in reality you already have such specimens wandering free in any given city - prison or not.

So I would not let the proximity of a prison influence your decision to purchase a home. I would check the neighbourhood itself - if the prices per size of the home/lot match other similar neighbourhoods that are farther from the prison, there is your answer right there.

A good idea before you purchase would be to chat up some potential neighbours who live there already, preferably some old-timers. Get their perspective.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Graplr

Very interesting. The problem with trying to chat up the old-timers is the owners of this home were the only old-timers in the area. The house 10 years ago was on 37 acres. The subdivided it dedicating ~6 to the current home, 10 to open DNR space and the remaining are now 15 homes. So anyone living close will have only lived there for 5-8 years. I did notice a play set in the backyard of the closest neighbor which I would assume indicates the neighbors have kids.

Originally Posted by Graplr

CMA? Christian Motorcycle Alliance?

Originally Posted by Graplr

And like I mentioned there are tons of trees so you can't even see it.

Originally Posted by ramonajim

Even when the trees are bare-arse nekkid in winter?

Originally Posted by Kuan

Just get a coupla dobermans.

Or one of these