Moving soon? Then you know the struggle of locating the best neighborhood for yourself and your family.
When finding the perfect home, it’s just as essential to assess the location to evaluate the building. Below are just some of the critical factors to consider when choosing the right neighborhood.
7 Ranking Factors to Help Find the Best Neighborhood
Look at these seven factors–they will help you decide if you’ve found a vibrant community that suits your family’s lifestyle.
1 – Cost of living
Some neighborhoods are likely to be more expensive than others. It’s worth comparing local property prices on sites like Compass to give you a good idea of how affordable an area is. There are also sites you can use to find information such as the local cost of groceries and public transport expenditure. This could all be important if you’re on a tight budget.
2 – Local amenities
You should consider what kind of amenities are in the area. Ideally, a good neighborhood has convenient access to grocery stores, doctors’ clinics, post offices, and gas stations. On top of these basic facilities, there may be other amenities worth looking out for depending on your lifestyle – this could include convenient access to bars, restaurants, gyms, play areas, or parks.
3 – Crime rate
It’s vital that a neighborhood is safe. Consider looking up local crime rate statistics online at these sites listed at Safewise. A lot of burglaries or car thefts could be a red flag. You may be able to get an idea of the crime rate simply by looking around the area – if many of the properties have security cameras, spiked fences, or signs of vandalism, you know that there’s likely a crime problem.
4 – Scenery
How a neighborhood looks could impact its overall vibe of it. If it looks run down or there isn’t much greenery, you should consider whether it’s the type of place you want to live. It’s worth taking the time to walk around the neighborhood to give yourself a good idea as to whether you like the area or not.
5 – Noise levels
Many people regret moving into a noisy area. It could be worth visiting a site at different times to check the noise levels (viewings are likely to be scheduled at the least loud times of the day). Flight paths, railways, busy roads, nightclubs, music venues, and noisy neighbors are all things to be wary of. This is particularly important with city neighborhoods.
6 – Distance to work
It could be essential to consider how far away a property is from your workplace. You don’t want to spend too long commuting to work each day – consider checking your journey on a GPS to see how long it will roughly take and decide whether you’re willing to do this every day. If you’re moving somewhere new and haven’t got a job lined up, it may be worth first to research local job opportunities.
7 – School options
If you have kids, it could be essential to assess the local schools. You can look up stats online, such as average school grades and general rankings. Consider the distance to these schools and whether your home is near a bus route.
The Takeaway: Finding a New Community Takes a Little Bit of Research
There are so many fantastic communities that it’s challenging to pick the best spot to put down your roots. But once you weigh the options against this list of influencing factors, you can make an objective choice about which will be the best neighborhood to suit your lifestyle and family needs.
