When you’re looking for a new home, there are a few factors to keep in mind. First of all, it needs to be suitable for your family and within reach of work and school. Next, it should be within your price range. After going through each step, we often forget to look into a few aspects that actually could have a lot to say for how well you love your new home; how is the neighbourhood?
Have the people next door barricaded themselves in after 6 pm or will it be children cycling in the streets after dinner as well? Here is a quick guide to what you should keep your eyes open for when moving into a new neighbourhood – preferably before you move.
#1 Will the home prices rise?
Some areas are, unsurprisingly, more desirable and safer than others but that doesn’t mean it can’t change in a few years time. The best indicator on where things are heading is found in a prospective rise in the value of your home.
It makes a lot of sense to look into this before you buy a house as you don’t want to invest in an area that already struggles with loud fraternity parties. Keep in mind that property prices should be rising all over the country every year, so it’s only reason for suspicion if it doesn’t follow the normal patterns.
#2 Use Crime Map
There are a bunch of great apps out there you can use before the big moving day. Crime Map for England and Wales, for example, lets you plot in the postcode of your new home and check out the statistics for everything from petty theft to violent crime. While you can always call up the local police station instead, if you prefer direct contact, this app makes it so much easier to find a safe neighbourhood.
Technology has made it a bit cheaper to transport your belongings as well, and you can have a look at these Shiply reviews if you’d like to compare prices on couriers. They may be able to help you out with international moves too in case you’re moving far.
#3 Excellent schools
Proper schools are alpha omega for families, but households without children should also look for neighbourhoods with good schools. The better they are, the higher your chances are of running into friendly parents too – they tend to bring up well-behaved children, after all.
Good schools are good indicator of a peaceful and harmonious area that won’t bother you too much with its loud music as school children should grow up in quiet surroundings – just like you’d like to live as well. Have a look at this article to see how well your children’s school is ranking.
#4 Vandalism
It may seem obvious that vandalism is a strong indicator of a neighbourhood that’s tumbling downhill, but it’s easy to miss the signs when you’re so in love with the house or apartment already. Try not to go blind to signs of crime, though, and look for walls covered in graffiti, broken bottles, litter, etcetera.
Have a chat with your closest neighbours too, by the way, and you’ll be starting off with a great foundation to avoid those bedroom communities – an area where people only sleep and eat without talking much to each other at all.
A tight-knit community tends to make the area a bit safer; you might as well contribute to making it a better place when you’ve first moved over, so knock on the door next to you and invite them over for a cup of tea.
XO XO
Debbie
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