How do you go about choosing where to live? You will no doubt have heard people talking about the best neighborhoods to live in and the places to avoid, but that is such a small part of the picture, isn’t it? What works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for everyone else and these can often be purely subjective opinions anyway. We want to help you in your property search by sharing with you how to choose the perfect area to live in, for you and just you.
It’s all about you
Of course it is! Your property hunt should be completely personalised to suit you. As such, you will need to create a detailed list of everything that you are looking for in the area that you wish to live.
The types of things that you need to think about are all around your own priorities. You might choose a location that is heavily based around your work commute, so you will need to be checking on public transport links or highways from the neighborhood. You might be moving because you are growing your family, in which case schools in the area will feature heavily on your list. You might be wanting to be nearer to friends or family or perhaps your social life revolves around certain activities so you need to find an area where these are present.
Think about what the location needs to deliver for you and you can begin to narrow down your search area using this list of requirements.
Use reports and newspapers from the area
Once you are clear on what you are looking for, it’s best to check out any reports and press from the areas you are considering. For example, you can get ahead of the game by using reports like this from Milwaukee to understand market for rentals in that area to weigh up costs across your shortlist. Many places have local newspapers or websites and these can be brilliant for giving you an insight into the workings of the neighborhood.
Seek out personal experiences and recommendations
Now that you have narrowed your search down and carried out your research on the area, you need to seek out a few accounts from people that actually live there. The above two factors will only be able to tell you so much, you now need to find out how it really is.
Head to the town and spend a few hours there. Coffee shops are great places to sit and get a feel for the area and there are bound to be people to chat to, and if not, talk to the staff. Pop into local stores and chat to the owners about the neighborhood, most people are only too happy to help. Stroll around the streets and you will get a sense of the place and whether you can imagine yourself really living there. If it is all getting a thumbs up, then you have found your perfect area and now you can begin searching for that perfect property.
Once you have chosen your new home, use a handy guide for counting down to moving day and you can ensure that you have got everything covered. You will be in and settled in no time!