List on how to investigate a neighborhood in a new city

[redrose]

So, if one is moving to a new city about which one knows nothing, and in which one knows no one, how does one find out about neighborhoods?

-use a realtor
-google for it
-take a short lease or extended stay place, and learn by experience
-call the police's non-emergency number for the area, and see what they say.

Comments

[crwilley.livejournal.com]

Out of those, I'd probably try the Internet and the realtor first. Even more than googling for random information about the city, I'd look specifically for:
1) a local-interest magazine or neighborhood guide put out by the newspaper.
2) a local-interest forum (e.g. a community on LJ or a group on Ravelry, where the presence of basement-dwellers is likely to be lower than the general newspaper-commenting population) where I might be able to ask advice from the locals.
3) Crime maps or other statistics - some local newspapers still run the police blotter.

[redrose]

I hadn't thought of those! Thanks!