That's a great question and I am sure it is one that is on a lot of peoples's minds. Although it is difficult to predict if anywhere is going to be perfectly safe, there are a few things that you can do to help reduce the likelihood that your new home will be in a community where crime occurs. Keep these in mind when looking around.
First I would say is to use our website search tool to break down your choices into a few options by choosing communities and units with crime prevention amenities such as gated access, courtesy patrol, and alarm systems. You can do this by first clicking "Search Now" and then down on the left-hand side you'll see the different criteria. Go to the section that says "Community Amenities" and you'll see there are options such as gated community, controlled access, and courtesy patrol. Also, go to the section that says "Apartment Amenities" and find alarm system. Just click on the dot under "Yes" and the site will automatically limit the options to the complexes with any all of those crime-reducing amenities.
Another way to find out if a community will be safe is to contact the local law enforcement agency and inquire as to what the crime statistics are for that area. They should have records of arrests as well as suspicious incidents and their knowledge will be incredibly beneficial in choosing the best area for you. Finally, something as simple as driving through the neighborhood yourself, during both day and night, will give you a good idea if this is going to be the right neighborhood for you and your lifestyle. It will also cut down on any surprises you might have that you wouldn't have known had you not gone and looked for yourself.