A big factor to consider when buying a new home is the area you are going to live in. We have put together a few items to take into consideration when choosing the ideal area:
- Staying close to friends and family. This is a major factor for many clients. Having all of your friends and family on the opposite side of the city can, and most likely will, affect the amount of time you see them on a regular basis.
- Neighbourhoods – every neighbourhood in the city offers different things to homeowners – from the types of community activities, to different schools, amenities and services. Is your favorite hairdresser or your kids’ school going to end up on the opposite end of the city? Culture is also a consideration, do you prefer the family oriented area with a big house and a yard? Or do you prefer being close to hotspots and popular culture, preferring something along the lines of the Corydon strip or Osborne Village?
- Commute – take into consideration the commute to your workplace. If you take the bus, is there a direct route? If you drive, how is rush hour going to affect your work commute?
- Lastly, cheaper isn’t always better. You may notice similar homes in different areas cost less. Remember, usually there is a reason homes are cheaper in different areas. Of course safety is a major concern, higher crime neighbourhoods will most likely have cheaper real estate. But other things such as lot size, landscaping such as manmade lakes and walking/biking paths, distance to certain amenities, and also country living can factor in the pricing of houses as well. Sure, living a half hour outside of the city may save you some money on the home, but think about the gas, winter highway conditions, distance from friends and family as well as amenities etc. that go along with country living.
So these are just a few considerations to take into account when thinking about moving. If something doesn’t pop up in your desired area right away, it may be worth it to hold off, inevitably the right house will come along, and you will be left with no regrets!
