Moving house or buying a new one can be an exciting time, but it can often be stressful, too.
When you think you’ve found the property of your dreams, there’s always a risk that it could be an impulse purchase and that you haven’t considered a number of important factors that could stand in your way.
Affordability
Being able to live comfortably on the money that you earn is important, so it’s vital that you choose a property in an area that you’ll be able to afford.
This doesn’t only mean you should make sure you can afford the house itself; you should also consider things such as the price of consumable goods, petrol, utility services and taxes that can vary from place to place.
Unless you’re planning on moving again in a few years time, approach the situation with a long-term mindset. Areas that are currently cheap but surrounded by more expensive areas, for example, are the most likely to go through a process of gentrification, meaning that the value of your property should grow.
A tip: Even the most expensive cities will have areas that are slightly more affordable in terms of living costs and house prices. So, rather than crossing out the possibility of moving to an expensive city like London altogether, you may try looking into the cheapest places to live in London instead.
Opportunities for employment
This is another thing that can vary depending on location. If you’re lucky enough to be moving to an area because of your job, then you may not need to worry about this, but those in-between jobs or just starting off on their career ladder should consider the employment opportunities available in the area they have chosen.
Always ensure that there is room for career flexibility and an opportunity to engage in a healthy work-life balance. Enness International provides those interested in expanding their horizons with guides on finding employment overseas.
Taking kids into account
If you already have children, then one huge factor to take into consideration is the efficiency of the education system in your new location. A good education is essential for their future; therefore, you should opt for somewhere that has a school with a good reputation.
This is also important for those looking to start a family. Other things you can look out for are areas where there are already a lot of families; this will give you a good indication of how good the place is to bring up children.
Proximity to family and friends
For those who are close to their family and friends, this is always a factor that they take into consideration when looking to move to somewhere new.
If this sounds like you, choose a place that is easily accessible to those you are close to, either via car or public transport. This way, you’ll never have to feel torn between your family and the area where you live.
Crime rates
Of course, you don’t want to live in a high crime area, even though this may mean properties are a little more affordable. You can easily research the crime rates and statistics for various areas to learn more about the safety of the city or even smaller neighbourhood you want to live in.
You should also consider things such as potential future developments in the area that may or may not affect the amount of crime that occurs.
