1. This is a huge sign
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We've all driven through the neighborhoods with the pristine houses and perfectly maintained lawns. These are signs of a good neighborhood where the community looks after its property. If you cruise through an area with a lot of run down or abandoned looking homes, this indicates the area is not-so-good.
2. People padlock EVERYTHING
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If you're walking through a neighborhood and notice that people have padlocks on literally everything from mailboxes to air conditioning units, then definitely don't leave your property unattended. Whenever you see heightened "homemade" security, it's a big sign that a neighborhood is in poor condition.
3. Kids are left unsupervised
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In bad neighborhoods, kids often have free rein of the community. You might see them playing or running around without anyone supervising them or even checking on them. While this in and of itself isn't bad, it usually indicates a larger problem of unchecked violence and poor behavior.
4. There's a lot of gang violence
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Gang presence in a neighborhood is a pretty obvious red flag of not living in a great area. If you live in a neighborhood where there are a lot of gang members, it's likely that your safety will be an issue from time to time. The unfortunate part is that this violence doesn't discriminate and may be brought to your doorstep.
5. Many people may own pit bulls
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A lot of cities and residential areas have regulations against specific dog breeds. While domestic pits are becoming more accepted, many communities ban them in their housing communities. If you live in an area where this isn't the case, it ~may~ be a sign that it's not the best kept neighborhood.
6. The police are around a lot
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If you live in a bad neighborhood, you might notice police regularly patrolling the area. However, you might also notice that there are a lot of police out during the day and never at nighttime. This could be a warning sign that it's dangerous to be out in the neighborhood at night.
7. The community infrastructure is run down
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When the basic infrastructure of a neighborhood is not up to par, it's probably not a great place to live. For example, if there's no sidewalk or if the sidewalk is in disrepair, this could mean the neighborhood is undervalued. If things around the town are in bad condition and need repair, then it's unsafe and a poor place to live.
8. There's a lot of random trash everywhere
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If you're walking through a neighborhood and see a lot of trash scattered everywhere throughout the streets, then you might be in a bad area. Especially if it looks like the neighborhood hasn't been cleaned up or taken care of in a long time, it's definitely a red flag that it's not the best part of town!
9. The place is covered in graffiti
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Similarly, while graffiti can definitely be really cool and beautiful and artistic at times. But in reality, this type of art is often done without permission of property owners. So if you see it in excess in a particular area, it can signal that the neighborhood is unkempt or unsupervised.
10. A lot of pawn shop and payday loan places
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In a bad neighborhood, you'll probably see a lot of check-cashing stores or pawn shops. And also the places that do instant payday loans. While these places aren't necessarily bad, it does show that the community might be struggling for funds so they have a lot of options for quick cash.
11. Private conversations happening in public spaces
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We're not sure why this lack of social decorum is indicative of a bad neighborhood, but it is. If you're in a public place or even on the street and can hear people talking loudly about their personal lives, then you're not in a good neighborhood. Why do you think that is?
12. You can't get food delivery to your home
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Did you know that if you live in a bad neighborhood, pizza places and food delivery services won't come to your area? If businesses think that their drivers would be in danger, you'll likely have to do a pick up. This is a sure sign that you are not in a safe neighborhood!
13. Teenagers out late at night
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In poor neighborhoods, you might see groups of teenagers gathering together late at night. We're talking at 2am. This is probably a group that's best to avoid, especially if you see any strange or aggressive behavior. If this is common where you live, you might not live in the best neighborhood.
14. There are a lot of men wearing the same color
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If there are teen boys and men wearing an odd amount of the same exact color, this is a sign that they're in a gang. Gangs have specific colors, and they wear clothing or bandanas to match those colors and let people know who they are without saying it. Proceed with caution!
15. Lots of people loitering around during the day
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This one may be a little less obvious, but if you notice a lot of people standing around or hanging out in a particular neighborhood in the middle of the day, it's a indicator that there might be a high unemployment rate. The reality of the situation is that, in this case, this might also indicate higher crime rates.
16. This might also be the case
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If it's a low income neighborhood, then there may also be a large homeless population. In an area where unemployment rates are high, then a lot of people who can't afford to buy or rent a house may end up living on the street. While there's sympathy for people in this situation, it doesn't make for the best neighborhood conditions.
17. There are a lot of empty lots
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In poor neighborhoods, there are a lot of empty lots in between houses. This is because the houses fell into such bad shape and no one could afford to or wanted to renovate them that the city ultimately just let them be demolished. So if you see this, it's a good sign that you're in a not-so-well-off area.
18. No neighborhood courtesy
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Most communities have a sort of unspoken quiet hour. No one wants to be woken up by loud noises at all hours of the night. However, in bad neighborhoods, this courtesy goes out the window. Loud music, band practices, parties, or fighting may occur in the middle of the night and disturb your sleep.
19. You'll see abandoned shopping carts
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This one may surprise you, but in a bad neighborhood there are a lot of abandoned shopping carts just lying in random places. The thought is that a lot of people may not have transportation so they bring items home from stores in the carts and never return them.
20. People have a lot of yard sales
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This one might be kinda strange, but it's something you don't see often in wealthier neighborhoods. Yard sales. In poorer neighborhoods, these are pretty common, with people trying to sell things that are often not even in great condition or practical. Some have said there are even signs that say "Yard sale because I'm going to jail."
21. The bars on the windows
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In general, if you're in a neighborhood where more than 50% of the houses have bars that cover the doors and windows, it's safe to say you're not in the best area. These bars are to prevent break-ins, and people usually don't put them up unless they know that that's going to be a problem they need to stop.
22. There's an above average amount of liquor stores
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Because people who live in bad neighborhoods are often dealing with a lot of hard life circumstances, you may see a lot of liquor stores in the area. Unfortunately, distressed people frequently use alcohol to try to numb whatever they're facing, which means a higher demand for these products.
23. There's not a lot of name-brand places
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In a bad neighborhood, you won't see a lot of major brands present. Most of these areas boast off-brand places like Kennedy Fried Chicken instead of Kentucky Fried Chicken. If you find yourself in a place like this, just trust your gut and stay alert. If you feel uncomfortable, it's probably for a reason!
24. You see tennis shoes thrown over electric wires
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The word on the street is that a neighborhood with shoes thrown over electric wires indicates to people that it's an area where gangs are active, or you can go to score drugs. So if this is something you commonly see, then you're living in a bad neighborhood!
25. Every store has bulletproof glass
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While this in and of itself might not be an indicator, when mixed with the other things on this list, it's definitely something to take note of. In dangerous neighborhoods, you'll notice EVERYWHERE is decked out with bulletproof glass. Whether it be a fast food joint, a gas station or a storefront, these people are trying to protect their staff from danger.
26. A lot of the houses have fences
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In the same vein as bars on the windows, people who want to keep strangers off their property tend to put up fences to protect their space. There may also be signs of "no trespassing" or fake security signs to keep people from entering the space. This typically is only present in bad neighborhoods where people are trying to keep their stuff safe.
27. Street lights that don't work
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As another result of poor infrastructure, street lights and other public fixtures are usually not maintained. In bad neighborhoods, this means that it's extra dark at night, increasing the threat of violence and crimes and causing more inconveniences and concerns for the residents who live there.
28. Street crimes happens on the regular
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It maybe goes without saying that street crime in bad neighborhoods runs rampant. For example, in Downtown LA, there are over 800 violent crimes across at 6 month span and nearly 180 crimes per 10,000 which is very high and indicates a bad place to live!
29. Illegal activity is commonplace
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Beyond just high crime rates or gang violence, a bad neighborhood experiences a lot of illegal activities on the regular. This could be anything from selling dr*gs, taking dr*gs in a non-discrete manner, and even pr*stitution. Keep in mind that because these are low-income areas, a lot of people have to resort seedy things to survive.
30. There are broken car windows and jacked tired
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If you pass a parking lot in a neighborhood, or even on the street, and notice cars with broken windows or tires that have been swiped, you might want to keep passing through. In bad neighborhoods, thieves will target cars and break windows to take valuables.
31. Stray animals are wary of you
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If it's the type of neighborhood to have a lot of stray animals wandering around - cats, dogs or any other type of animal - this alone might suggest there's a lack of loving happy homes, but it's more about how they react to you. Stray animals that are wary of you have learned to react that way based on the people in the neighborhood mistreating them. If they eagerly come up to you, they're used to the opposite: people being friendly!
32. Look at the type of flags flying outside homes
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Many homes will display their country's flag proudly outside their home - but certain bad neighborhoods might display flags of a different kind. These could be homemade flags made from gang symbols, or symbols of hate groups or other questionable authorities.
33. Dogs are left outside in fenced yards
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In a good neighborhood, even guard dogs won't be tethered up outside all of the time. You can expect them to have a happy, cozy family life indoors. If you're in a neighborhood where every dog is outside in a yard, constantly barking and acting aggressive, this can be a hint of the type of area.
34. If the police actually offer escorts
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The police are usually very savvy about the neighborhoods which need to be watched, and so much so, if you find yourself wandering through one, you might not only notice a police presence, but they might actually offer you an escort to get out of there if you look vulnerable.
35. Even public buildings have bars on the windows
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It's a bad sign if most of the homes in the neighborhood have bars on their windows put on by the residents for their own safety, but it's even worse if the public buildings have bars on their windows, too - buildings like churches, community centers or other public attractions.
36. A more dangerous type of trash on the sidewalk
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Finding trash all over the sidewalk can be a suggestion of some very careless and rude residents, but there's a more dangerous type of trash that's a huge red flag over what type of neighborhood it is: things like discarded used needles, weapons like small knives... anything like that!
37. Bullets or shell casings on the floor
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And the worse kind of discarded 'garbage' you can find on the street is bullets! You might noticed bullets strewn on the sidewalk or you may find shell casings here and there. Even one is enough to tell you that shots have been fired in that particular neighborhood!
38. You never see people exercising in the street
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You have to ask yourself why you never see people exercising in the street. which is a normal thing in everyday neighborhoods. You're bound to see at least one jogger, one walker or a person walking their dog - so if there isn't a single person in sight, it's obviously not a safe place to walk about.
39. How loud car stereos are is a huge giveaway
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There might be a stereotype about garish cars playing very loud music being a symbol of a dodgy neighborhood, but unfortunately it's the truth! People in stationery cars in the street playing very loud music are usually a sign they're disruptive, and parked there waiting for less-than-law-abiding reasons!
40. Adults using kids things
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It sounds weird, but think about it - you see an adult riding a kids bike down the middle of the street, they've probably nicked it. Adults playing in the street with a kids ball, they've either nicked it or they're up to no good and using it as an excuse to be out and about.
41. Lurkers!
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There's nothing wrong with just standing around in your neighborhood or talking to someone on the street. But if people are lurking on street corners or specific spots and not speaking to anybody, looking like they're watching, or watching for something, it's a bit suss.
42. The questionable billboards
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There might be signs in the neighborhood like 'BAIL BONDS' or a group of worrying signs all piled together, like a sign about drug problems, alcohol and then one about getting cash fast. You can learn a lot about what is prioritized to be advertised in a neighborhood!
43. Those random abandoned grocery carts
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We've all seen them sticking out of bushes: those poor abandoned grocery carts with one wheel missing and turning rusty. It's bad enough when people leave them in the middle of the parking lot without returning them, but you know you're in a worse neighborhood when people full on steal them.
44. People seem to look wary when the address is mentioned
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Certain neighborhoods just get a reputation - and usually the bad ones. So much so that even if you've never been, you just know the right reaction to someone saying they live there is a look of concern or worry. You might have noticed people looking concerned at the mere mention of the address.
45. There's every type of car, from top to bottom
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There might not be anything overly suspicious about a series of old to new cars, if some people have a hobby or a garage is nearby. But if one neighborhood has everything from abandoned, rusty cars to top of the range, fully-modded sports cars, it can be a sign there might be some dodgy dealing.
46. The night-time ambience is fighting or gunshots
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Nobody wants to hear gunshots in their neighborhood - but this might be the case that most nights you can expect to hear someone arguing outside, people fighting, dogs barking and gunshots in the distance. No mater whether it's a weekday or a weekend!
47. Houses get raided by police
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It's normal to have police randomly raid certain houses they've been tipped off about, or have been watching for a while, so if a neighborhood has people hearing their neighbor's houses getting raided by police in the middle of the night, it's not usually a good sign!
48. A cash advance business in the area
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Cash advance businesses can be handy and they obviously have a market, although they're never encouraged to be used if you debt or money problems. That's why a popular cash advance business in the middle of a neighborhood that clearly sees a lot of clientele might be telling.
49. Neon signs have more than one letter unlit
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There's a cliched aesthetic from action movies that sees the hero pull into a questionable parking lot with a huge neon sign having three of its lights flickering on and off! That aesthetic might be closer to reality than people think. In a dangerous neighborhood, things like store neon signs might not be very well taken care of.
50. Gardens are basically weeds
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If this neighborhood has houses lined with gardens, it's very telling the condition all the gardens are in. If only one is unkempt and overrun with weeds while the rest are prize-winning, that just shows one resident who doesn't like gardening. But if every single one of them are dead, dry and full of weeds, it can be a bad sign!