The neighborhood you choose to move to is just as important as the home you choose.
Whether renting an apartment or purchasing a house, making sure your new home is in a safe location and makes sense for your lifestyle is crucial. You’ll likely want to call it home for a long time, so doing research beforehand will be helpful.
Before you plant roots somewhere new, follow these five tips to help you find a new neighborhood to move to.
Make a List of Must-Haves
Before you start shopping for neighborhoods, it’s a good idea to figure out your list of must-haves and non-negotiables. Your list can include things like a gated community, close to amenities, city or suburbs, or close to the airport if you or your partner travel a lot for work.
Each person’s preferences will be different. Make a list of your must-haves and deal-breakers before looking into homes and neighborhoods too much. Doing so will help you save time and heartbreak during the home shopping process.
Consider Your Budget and Think About the Future
The next step when deciding what neighborhood to move to is your budget and future.
One of the worst things that can happen is finding your dream neighborhood and then finding out it’s far out of your price range. Instead, keep your budget in mind and start your searches around these parameters.
Setting a budget will give you a lot of guidelines on what neighborhoods and homes to look at.
Also, think about the future. What do you need now and what will you need in the future?
If you have a growing family or plan to start one soon, it might be in your best interest to look for homes with enough space to grow into and in a safe location to raise children. On the other hand, you might prefer to extend your budget for a sleek apartment downtown — it’s up to you and what you can afford and prefer.
Research School Systems
As a parent, one of the most important things to look at when moving to a new neighborhood is the school system and the areas around the school.
Make sure all levels of schooling are available in the area you’re looking at. For example, middle schools in the area may be highly rated, but elementary schools might be poorly rated or in unsafe areas. If that’s the case, you might want to consider sending your child to a private school or looking at a different neighborhood to move to.
Keep in mind that school is where your child will spend most of their time, so making sure they’ll feel comfortable and get a good education is crucial before moving to a different neighborhood.
Check Out the Neighborhood During Different Times of the Day
An aspect that often goes overlooked when moving to a new neighborhood is how it feels at different times of the day.
While it may sound like overkill, according to long distance movers, driving through a neighborhood at different times of the day will help you get a better understanding of the community, busyness, and noise levels.
Checking on a neighborhood multiple times will give you a well-rounded view of the neighborhood and area. For example, a neighborhood that looks friendly and quiet in the day might turn into party central at night or feel unsafe when the sun goes down.
You can search online for neighborhood reviews and use sites like Area Vibes to see how safe or unsafe a neighborhood is. This site tells you what crimes (if any) happen around the area and how often they take place.
Figure Out Where Amenities Are Located
While you’re driving around visiting potential neighborhoods to move to, drive around the surrounding area and explore the amenities.
Is the grocery store across the street or on the other side of town? What about your gym or your child’s school? Will it take a whole day to run your errands when needed?
If you opt to live in the suburbs, make sure the amenities you will frequent are close to your new neighborhood — or mentally prepare for the driving distance.
Most parents don’t want to spend hours on end driving back and forth, but if that’s something you enjoy, that’s fine too — just keep it in mind during your search.
Choosing the Right Neighborhood
Moving to a new neighborhood is exciting, especially if you follow these tips; with a little preparation, the transition will be a breeze.
Consider your budget and must-haves, the proximity of the neighborhood to amenities you’ll frequent, and the school systems in the area.
When you follow these tips, you’ll soon find a new and safe neighborhood to call home.
