Whether you’re looking at homes for sale in St. Helena, CA, or any other area, researching school districts is crucial to your search. And it’s true even if you don’t have children.
When you partner with one of Connie & Jamie’s Napa realtors, they help you weigh all the factors that make up your decision, including price, neighborhood, and amenities. They’ll also help you learn about the school districts before you buy a home.
How to Research School Districts
Every buyer has a wish list for their new home. It often contains items like the perfect number of bedrooms and baths, a family-oriented kitchen, and an entertainment-ready deck and backyard. Once you find a home you love, there’s one more task you should complete: researching the neighborhood’s school district. Why? Because the quality of the area’s schools can ensure:
- Home value stability
- Higher selling prices
- The best education for kids
As you do your homework (pun intended), be sure to check for factors like who the administration is, how experienced the teachers are, and whether the district you’re investigating is overcrowded and children are bussed to attend nearby schools. You’ll also want to find out typical class sizes, special needs programs, language immersion programs, and extracurricular activities like art, music, and sports.
When analyzing your choices, use these resources to point you in the right direction.
- The school district’s dedicated website. This is where you’ll usually get the most thorough information about the district’s school, including test scores and teacher/student ratios. You can also reach out to the school’s PTA to learn more about parent involvement and what other parents think of the school’s curriculum and staff.
- Online sites like Niche, GreatSchools, and Public School Review are valuable sources of information, as is SchoolDigger. After you’re done your online research, just be sure to visit the school in person to gauge your gut reaction.
- Your real estate agent. Experienced realtors are a great resource for learning about the local schools. Their knowledge and experience also enable them to match buyers with schools that meet the specific needs of a client’s child or children.
Talk to our Napa Realtors About Homes for Sale in St. Helena
Homebuyers should keep an area’s school districts on their radar whether or not they have children. That’s because a good school district tends to indicate a good neighborhood. And, as we all know, location is the name of the game when buying a home.
Ready to get started on your St. Helena home-buying journey? Talk to one of the agents at Connie & Jamie who can provide the expert guidance you need.