Choosing the Right Location

Over the past few weeks, we have looked at the practicalities of moving day, presenting your home etc ready to sell, the one thing we haven’t considered is how to decide where you want to move to.

 

In this article I hope to help you think about what factors you should take into consideration when moving.  I know you’re probably screaming “WHAT IS THERE TO THINK ABOUT?” beyond the normal everyday questions such as “do I like the area?”.  We all have a “perfect” wish list, however what we want and what we get are usually two very different things.

 

 

 

 

 

SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

 

For most people the first question they ask themselves is “Where is my ideal location?”

 

Obviously, we all have in the back of our minds a certain location, and in some instances, I have even come across a specific street! This question when thought through properly should lead to lots of other questions.  It is these questions I am going to go through with you now.

 

The most important question that you need to ask yourself should be “Is this location realistic?” for several reasons Including:

• Value for money
• Schools / catchment area
• Commute / transport links
• Willing to compromise

Let me elaborate on all these points:

 

 

 

VALUE FOR MONEY

 

I am aware I am stating the obvious, but you can only buy a property that you can afford and 9 times out of 10 this will be determined by how much your current home is worth and what you finally sell it for unless you are a first-time buyer, in which case it comes down to how big your deposit is and much you are able to borrow.

 

First and foremost, please be realistic when picking areas/types of property.  It goes without saying that properties differ massively in value depending on location.  With this in mind, you need to thoroughly look into the area and do extensive research on it, to see just how far your budget will go.  For example: £200,000 might buy a stunning 4 bed semi-detached property in one area, but only a 2-bed terrace just 5 minutes down the road.  Why such a difference if only 5 minutes away – the answer is postcode.  This is frustrating to say the least, but it is at this point you will need to work out what is more important to you.  Property or location and which of these things you are willing to compromise on?

 

 

 

 

SCHOOLS / CATCHMENT AREAS

 

If you have a young family or looking to start a family, and need a bigger house, then the most important factor should be the local schools in the area.

 

A good starting point for finding local schools is Rightmove, they list all the local amenities for each property Including schools.  From there you can then research the specific schools listed.  You can do this via LEA websites which will show all information such as Ofsted reports and, in some cases, parental reviews of the school.  Please bear in mind getting your chosen school can be a bit of a lottery, so don’t base your move purely on one school – make sure you have some back up options that work for you in terms of distance, quality and most importantly areas/streets that appear child friendly.

 

This is equally important if you already have children who are happily settled in a school.  Moving to a new area means you could end up outside the catchment area of your current school, creating much longer journey times or worse you could end up having to move your children to a new school.  This could cause major upheaval for everyone involved, especially your children.

 

 

 

 

WORK COMMUTE / TRANSPORT LINKS

 

Although catchment areas don’t come into play when it comes to work, it is always worth remembering you can be adding time to your commute to and from work.  This could massively impact your daily routine, if you pick a location that is lot further away than where you currently are. 

 

It could also have a knock-on effect if you are reliant on public transport, there is always a possibility that there aren’t any direct services, or your nearest station is no longer around the corner. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to travel further than necessary! Call me lazy, but I am sure most of you would agree.

 

 

 

 

COMPROMISE

 

What you need to ask yourself is “are you willing to compromise on any of the above to get your dream location” If the answer is “no” then you need to think about compromising on the actual property instead.

 

Does moving to your perfect location mean settling for less outside space, or not having an en-suite bathroom etc.  Go back to your original property wish list, and ask yourself what is on the list that you actually need versus just what you would like, then eliminate all the things you can live without until you have a realistic and practical list.

 

Yes, it is all about the word awful word “compromise” rearing its ugly head time and time again, but as previously mentioned: it is very rare that you get everything you want. Whilst this might seem a thoroughly depressing thought and off putting, it is better to do your research than end up seriously disappointed in the long run.   To borrow a very cliched quote from Benjamin Franklin: “Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail”.

 

As you can see there is a lot to consider when thinking about moving to your next home.  In all honesty the majority of these points are common sense, and as you begin you research the answers will become clearer, and you will know what will work and what you are willing to compromise on.

 

 

 

 

Till next time…