The perfect home for you and your family is out there. Believe it or not, it happens to be sitting in the perfect neighbourhood as well. But what do you consider the perfect place to live? It will depend a lot on your family, their needs, desires and other factors. Here is a look at some of the tips you can use to find the right neighbourhood for you.
1 – Schools
One major factor in finding a new community or neighbourhood is schooling. Even if you don’t have children, schools have an impact on the resale value of a home. The proximity of a home to a local school – the walking distance, for example – has an impact as does the overall ratings for the level of education in the school district you are moving into.
2 – Jobs
The local job market is crucial in so many ways. Not only will the strength of the labour market have a direct effect on home prices, it will determine whether you will be able to work in the community. If your plan is to work from home, then you will have some flexibility; however, the value of your home will still be dictated by the unemployment rate in your location.
3 – Rentals
If you move into an area with a higher ratio of rental homes to owner-occupied homes, you may find some issues. Not only will the property values be lower in high rental areas, rental properties tend to suffer from a lack of TLC. That’s because homeowners will put effort into the look of their home and condition of their yard and surroundings out of pride and to potentially get more value out of the home if/when they choose to sell again.
4 – Neighbours
One interesting factor that can affect your decision to move into one area over another is the sense of community. That is to say, if neighbours interact and are involved in various activities together, there is a feeling of family. You want to be welcomed into a neighbourhood and be a good neighbour. This will be difficult if everyone keeps their distance.
5 – Safety
We all want to live in safe communities. This is especially true if you are raising children or have lived in a high crime area. Statistics can be found online indicating the general safety of a community based on data collected from policing agencies. This information can give you an indication on whether one part of town is safer than another and why that is.
6 – New Home Construction
Nothing points to positive growth and prosperity in a community or neighbourhood like the sign of some new homes being built. Not only will new housing impact your resale value, it tells you that something positive is taking place in the municipality. New houses usually indicate an increase in population and this contributes to local economic development.
When You Are Seeking A New Place to Live…
As soon as you begin your home search, I can be of assistance. My name is Jen Bedard and I have called the Niagara Region home for all my life, I can suggest and help you choose the perfect neighbourhood to best suit your wants and needs. Call me today and let’s get started!
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