Each year, approximately 14 percent of the population relocates to a new home. If you have plans to join their ranks and relocate far from home in the near future, you understandably want to find an attractive, spacious home that meets your needs and that works well with your budget. More than that, you should also turn your attention to these important elements to make the best buying decision possible.
A Wonderful Community
The community that you choose to move into is just as important as the home that you select. The community should have a friendly vibe and feed into great schools for all ages of children. You may want to find a strong HOA that can protect property values, and a community that regularly hosts neighborhood events and gatherings. Working with a local real estate agent who is familiar with the area may help you to find the right community to relocate to.
The Crime Rate
While you can easily find the average crime rate for a major metropolitan area online, you may be more concerned with the crime rate in a specific area of town that you plan to relocate to or the crime rate along the route between your home and workplace. Finding out this information can be more challenging, but you can turn to your real estate agent for more information.
Your Commute Time
Before you decide which home or community to relocate to, focus on your commute time. Today’s mapping technology takes traffic into consideration. Therefore, you can use online mapping solutions to check traffic conditions between two locations for your trip to work and back home. Be sure to check commute times over the course of several days so that you develop a more accurate idea.
Amenities and Services
Each home that you may be looking at may be close to various neighborhood or community amenities and services. This may include grocery stores and medical services. It may also include schools, parks, community pools, trails and more. Consider which amenities and services are most important to your interests, and look for the right home that places you closer to these areas.
While many house hunters spend a considerable amount of time focused on finding the perfect home to buy and negotiating a great sales price, remember that there are many other factors that can influence your overall lifestyle and level of comfort in your new home. Your real estate agent can help you to explore each of these important factors before you decide whether to buy a specific property.
