Location! Location! Location!

Homes Expo
Choose the neighborhood that best suits your needs

Affordability is at the top of any buyers or renters list before deciding on a place to settle in. Do not let the good bargain confuse you and cloud your judgment. For some people, the house is more important. Maybe they want a particular style or size, but for others, the neighborhood holds more weight. Take time to shop around, consider all the available options. If you do not like the neighborhood, chances you will not love the house. But how do you choose the right community? Consider these:

Profile your ideal neighborhood.
What exactly are you looking for? In which part of the city are you looking to stay in? Knowing what you want from a potential neighborhood will increase the chances of finding exactly what you want and nothing less. Do you have children or are you planning to have any soon? What kind of house do you want?

Zero in on the area.
If moving within the same city, you probably already know the different neighborhoods. Choose the one that best suits your needs. If moving to a different city or town, you will have to do deeper research and get to know what is what. If you have an unlimited budget, you will be able to find the perfect home in a desirable neighborhood; however, most people are forced to compromise on either the house or the neighborhood since they are working on a budget. Do not compromise on security though, you need to be alive and well to enjoy the house you will be paying for.

Establish your priorities.
What do you really want from a potential neighborhood? Think about the kind of social amenities you’d like to have nearby or if you want to live in a quiet place far from the hustle and bustle of city life. Some people prefer to live in a place where residents interact frequently or just have a distant but cordial relationship. If you like to swim or golf or play football, you should live in a place where these amenities are easily accessible. Whether you are a young family with children, a retired couple or still single, local amenities are important to where you live. You may have to compromise on some of your desires but make sure that the amenities close to you are convenient.

Commute time.
For those who drive, the further you live from work, the more expensive your commute is likely to be, in terms of time and fuel spent on your way to and from work. Consider if you want to walk, drive or take public transport to work and factor this into your game plan.

Personal reasons.
Sometimes you just want a peaceful environment to come home to after a long day, maybe your landlord got on your last nerve and you feel you need a change. Maybe you are tired of the noise and foul smoke associated with city life and you just need to breathe. For whatever reason you decide to move, make sure that you do your homework thoroughly on the neighborhood you’d like to live in. Get the crime and safety stats and get to understand just how safe the neighborhood is. Visit the neighborhood at different times of the day. A drive through will help you get a snapshot of the community life – good or bad. An area may be perfect on paper but actually visiting it may reveal a few things that your agent may not have mentioned and that you may not like to live with-annoying noises and smells. While you may eventually get used to these things, you shouldn’t have to.

Finding the right neighborhood takes some legwork. It is important to find a place to live in where the thought of going home and dealing with your neighbors does not make your stomach churn.