Things to Consider When Moving to a New Area
Moving house can be an exciting but stressful time, but if you are moving to a new area it can be somewhat daunting.
So, it’s important to choose the right area for you and your family’s needs – and this needs some online and local research.
For many people, the motivation to move is a combination of property type and location – so doing the research into your potential new neighbourhood is a vital part of the process.
As estate agents, we have known people to move to their perfect house only to move again a couple of years later because the area was not quite right. So, what should you consider when moving to a new area, even if it’s only a few miles?
Family Considerations
If you have or are considering a family, you need to check what school catchment area your new property will be in. This will almost certainly make a difference to the value of the property too.
When considering buying a property to do up, it’s important to think about whether the area is likely to increase in value. The influx of local coffee shops and micro-breweries are an indication that the area is on the up and so properties could be worth more in the medium term.
Other things to think about are:
- What nurseries or pre-schools are nearby
- How they fit in with your route to work?
- What other amenities are there within walking distance?
Transport Links
Talking of work, what are the transport links like? Try to look further ahead than your current place of work but what the options would be if you happened to change jobs in the future.
While none of us have a crystal ball, it’s important that you consider your house as a long-term investment, so thinking about the future prospects of your new area is useful.
Neighbourhood
Looking for local shops, coffee houses, pubs, leisure centres and other things that bring the community together can help you decide whether this is the kind of area you want to live in.
If possible, talk to your potential neighbours to find out what it’s like to live there, what the local schools are like and so on.
If you are able to visit the house at different times of day and night, before you make a decision, it will help you visualise how people use the area. Things can change dramatically from day to night and at weekends.
Finally, ask the estate agent which areas you might want to think about living in – and which to avoid!
Plan how you’ll meet people
If you’re moving to a completely new area, it can take a long time to meet people and get your social life off the ground. It is a good idea to plan, in advance, what clubs, societies etc you could join to help you settle in.
If you have a hobby, work out how you might meet similar minded people in clubs or regular meetings.
What is planned for your area?
Other questions you might want to ask of the area you’re planning to move into are:
- Are more housing developments in the pipeline?
- Is a new factory being planned which will create more jobs?
- Is a new school going to be built which will suddenly make the area hugely popular with parents?
- Why the current owners want to move (and where they are moving to)
There are plenty more questions to ask – why not contact us and let us guide you through the areas in Shropshire and Worcestershire that we know best?