Well-Kept Yards Signal Neighborhood Safety, Suggests New Relocation Survey

NEW YORK, Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey conducted by Relocation.com finds that 75 percent of Americans believe the most important factor in determining a neighborhood's safety is the up-keep of surrounding homes, especially the conditions of the front lawns, which trumps even Googling neighborhood statistics to get a feel for a community.

The latest Relocation.com survey finds that 74 percent of respondents indicated they would select a neighborhood based on "word-of-mouth" or its local reputation over any other reason, while 67 percent of the respondents say they pay attention to local crime reports and statistics as reported in the local media. Less compelling, according to the Relocation survey, are "a gated community with security patrols" and "proximity to a police or fire station" when determining the safety of a neighborhood.

"It's interesting to see how homebuyers determine neighborhood safety based on the neighborhood's appearance and not as much based on police statistics or crime reports," said Relocation.com Chairman and Founder Sharon Asher. "Our findings suggest that some homesellers who are struggling to generate interest may want to go the extra mile and help their neighbors with landscaping needs in order to create buyer interest."

The Relocation.com survey was conducted in mid-October, 2010, in a continuing effort to provide information on lifestyle factors that drive moving and relocation decisions in the U.S. For the full survey results, please click here.

About Relocation.com

Relocation.com is the largest online marketplace connecting consumers who are moving locally, nationally or internationally with professionals that can best service their needs. Working with many leading moving and storage companies, Relocation.com provides free quotes from quality, professional companies who can service consumers during their upcoming move. It is focused on helping make the relocation process easier and less challenging for the 40 million people moving each year. Relocation.com offers comprehensive information, tools and resources to help consumers compare, connect and learn about products and services from hundreds of relevant providers. Named by Inc. magazine three years in a row as one of America's fastest-growing companies, the company was founded in 2000 by online moving industry pioneer, chairman Sharon Asher, and is based in New York. For more information, visit www.relocation.com.

SOURCE Relocation.com