Everyone wants to be sure they, their family and their belongings are in a safe, secure environment.  Here are a few steps you can take to reassure yourself:

1)  When you buy a home, work with a local realtor who has personal knowledge of the different neighborhoods to guide you in making a wise choice.

2)  Check local crime statistics.  I follow the South Surrey RCMP site that provides maps of monthly break-in and theft locations throughout the areas in which I help clients buy properties.   The map above shows B&Es for businesses (red squares), and residences (blue squares) and others (gray squares).

3)  Look for Block Watch signage.  If an area has an active Block Watch program, it's likely there's a proactive, cooperative group of neighbors that make a practice of looking out for one another.

4)  Drive around the neighborhood and look for signs of vandalism, graffiti and other indicators.

5)  Talk to people nearby on the street.  There's nothing better than a quick chat with people who currently live there to give you a good feel for the neighborhood.