When it comes to finding a new home, whether buying or renting, you want to make sure you make the right choice. You might be planning on finding the perfect home to settle down and raise a family, downsize, or look to make the first step on the property ladder. Whatever your reason for house hunting, it’s all about locating a home that fits your lifestyle and needs.
Viewing a home is so much more than looking at the property itself. Getting the location of your new house right is just as important as finding the property. When buying a home, you’re not just investing in the build, you’re investing in the area as well. When deciding where you’d like to live, check out the neighbourhood, making sure it ticks all the boxes. Moving to the wrong place could easily cause a lot of stress and have you looking to get out in a short space of time. Ensuring you love your new community will make a world of difference to feeling right at home – in and out.
Admaston Spa, Telford, TF5 0DJ
Having a better understanding of property prices and rent costs in an area will help you get an idea of what sort of price you’ll be expecting to pay. Is it within your budget? Are they cheaper than areas nearby? If they are, it’s worth checking why that is.
Easier said than done, but if you can have a quick chat with people who already live on a street you’re interested in, it will give you a good insight into what living there may be like. Dry weekends are great for this as you’ll get more of a chance of people already being outside while you take a walk through the neighbourhood. They might be able to tell you if there were any issues with the property previously, or if there’s any niggles with the street and how they find the services provided by the council.
Even if you’re not currently looking for work, knowing what future opportunities are out there is really important. Check if your current job is easy to get to and how you will arrive. If you do look for a new role, are there plenty of options nearby for a fast commute?
If you have children or are planning on starting a family, knowing what schools are in the area is an essential factor to consider. Check out what catchment areas you’ll potentially fall into, and then check these won’t change if you have a specific school in mind. Explore Ofsted ratings and visit schools to see if they’re the right fit.
Don’t forget to be mindful of what the school run will look like; this is important if your children are already in school and you don’t want them to transfer elsewhere. Making sure the school and education system is at a high standard is important. Even if your children are still in primary school, it’s worth checking out the high schools too. If you’re planning on staying for the long run, you’ll want an idea of what secondary schools are like in the area.
This links closely with both employment opportunities and education. How easy is your commute or school run going to be? If you drive, will traffic be a nightmare? Are there good connections to major roads to get you where you need to be? If you don’t drive, what’s public transport like? You want to see how frequent and how busy the services are.
Try out a trial run on some of the journeys you’ll be making. Use public transport and see how long it takes to walk, bike or drive to the train station. What’s the trip to visit family and friends like? If you need to pop out for essentials, can you walk there, or will you need to drive?
This is a significant factor to look into to get a feel for what quality of life will be like in your new location. There are many different areas to consider, so make sure you take time to know what your new home will offer. Are the shops you’ll be visiting regularly nearby, and will you be able to walk to them, or will you be relying on driving, buses, trains, or taxis?
Consider whether the area fits your lifestyle. If you enjoy eating at restaurants or ordering a takeaway, what places are available to you? If you want to pop into a local pub at the weekend, what are your options? Do you have easy access to parks, scenic walks, gyms, or natural beauty spots?
It’s also really important to look at what services you have nearby. Is there a doctor, dentist, bank and post office? Think about the services you may need to access and check if they are available easily to you.
You want to feel safe in your home, so check out the crime rate in the area and compare it to other places you’re looking at. Review crime rates by heading over to the Police’s website. You’ll be able to view the top crimes in the community and find more information on the local police force.
See what other areas are nearby to help you get to grips with the feel of the location as a whole. It’s also worth looking at county averages to understand where the place you’re looking at falls into.
Have a look at whether there are any new development plans in the area. This could include new houses, shopping centres, parks, roads, services or anything else that could change the location from how it is now. Some changes may be positive, and some may be negative, so it’s important to be aware of any immediate changes that are already planned.
Some of these new developments could positively impact your house price in the future, making it a great location to invest in. However, if you were looking for a quiet area that will eventually have a new-build estate or shopping complex around the corner, you may want to consider somewhere a little further away. Check the local authority’s website or any planning information.
An ideal way to get a feel for an area is to spend some time there. Visit at different times of the day, see who’s about and what the atmosphere is like. Check whether it feels like your lifestyle would fit in. Is the area noisy or quiet? Has it got a thriving town? What’s the age demographic? All these factors will have an impact on life there, so check it works for you.
When looking for a new area, ask yourself if you think you’ll outgrow it in the next few years? If you’re planning on staying in your new home for more than a couple of years, this is worth considering.
If you’re looking to buy, think about your home’s long-term value; it’s going to be one of, if not your biggest asset. Look at the opportunity your location has. Is it an up-and-coming area, or has it already hit its full potential?
Look for somewhere you can grow into. For most people in the first half of their careers, their pay will hopefully rise year on year, meaning what you can afford will grow. Whilst it’s important to be realistic, something at the top end of your budget now should become far more affordable in a couple of years. Do make sure you always stick within your budget, though.
Even if you’ve spent time researching an area, you may still be unsure whether you want to buy a property there. A great way to see if you would like to invest in a new location is to rent there first. This will give you a chance to fully immerse yourself in your new setting without worrying about making a significant financial investment. Find a property to rent for a few months and keep your options open.
Apartment 304, The Haybridge, TF1
Estate agents are there to help you find your dream home. If you’re still unsure, why not get in touch with yours? They should be more than happy to give you the low down on certain areas, so utilise their local expertise.
If you’re looking for a leading estate agent, then get in touch with us. Our expert team will be more than happy to help whether you’re looking to rent, buy, or need any other support on your journey to finding your right home. We have over 20 years of experience selling and letting properties in every TF postcode and surrounding areas, and we would love to share our knowledge with you.
Don’t hesitate to contact us and start your property journey today.
