Your new home will provide you with your own personal space and refuge from the outside world. The area in which the house is located will also be an important determinant of how much you enjoy “where you live.” That is why you should compare locations as carefully as you compare houses.
First, you should weigh the pros and cons of living in the city, the suburbs or the country. Your decision will depend on factors such as your personal tastes, your employment situation, and how you like to spend your spare time. For instance, some people like to be out in the suburbs or the country and don’t often use the amenities that cities have to offer. Some people enjoy the amenities of the city and would feel isolated in the country. Some people hate commuting long distances and want to live near their work. Other people work out of their homes, so they do not have to commute at all.
The current and future structure of your household may also affect your decision, so you should determine if various facilities such as daycare, schools and recreational amenities will meet your needs.
Certain considerations will be important regardless of your household structure. You should be concerned about the quality of the services available in the area. For instance, are the police and fire protection adequate? Is the garbage collection adequate? The other side of the equation involves how much you will be asked to pay in local taxes in the jurisdiction. You should try to find an area that offers high-quality service for reasonable tax rates. You may want to visit the area before you make your decision and talk to people who live there about the quality of the services they receive.
For some people, an important question is whether there is a hospital or medical centre nearby. This could be very important if someone in your household has a medical condition that requires regular treatment or could require emergency treatment.
There are countless other features that you would want to consider in finding a location that best suits the needs of your household. You are not likely to find a place that is perfect but you will want to come as close as possible. A good way to organize your thoughts and prioritize your options is to write each feature on a card. After you have a stack of features, arrange them in their order of importance to you
Many real estate professionals believe that location is the most important factor affecting the value of a home. That’s why it should play an important role in your home buying process. By doing your homework and finding the location that best suits your needs, you can settle comfortably into your new neighbourhood and get the maximum enjoyment from your new home.
