Relocating to a new area

When you’re moving to an entirely new area it’s unlikely you’ll known the good roads from the less desirable. Whilst the selling agent will hopefully provide you lots of useful information and share their local knowledge it won’t compare to actually living there, so how can you be sure you’re making the right decision?

It might be that you’ve shortlisted a few locations and are unsure how to decide where to focus your search or you have one point that you need to be within easy reach of but have no idea where to start looking. Having helped many clients move to new areas over the years we can share some of our top relocating tips.

How to decide where to live

There is likely to be a key reason for your move whether it’s to be closer to your place of work, nearer to your children’s school or to live in the same neighbourhood as family or friends. Whilst this might have been the trigger for your decision to relocate it’s important to consider locations that will work for all aspects of your life.

Consider your daily activities and match these to the areas you’re considering, if you like to attend yoga classes where is the nearest studio, how far away are the local shops – are you have to drive there or would you prefer to walk, is there a park nearby and if you have a dog is it a pet friendly space?

It might be that you’re moving for work but also need to find a location with easy access to good schools – understandably this is usually a top priority when relocating with your family so be sure to do your research or engage an education consultant.

Buying a property in a new area

It is most likely that your decision on area will be affected by the type of property you’d like to buy and your budget for that property.

Doing initial research of the local property market before spending time getting to know the area is sensible as you might find that you can’t afford properties in an area you’ve fallen in love with.

Once you have an idea of prices and property types in different locations you can narrow down your search to match the location to the property type you’d like to buy.

Getting to know an area before relocating

Spend time in an area where you’re considering putting down roots, we strongly recommend you visit on more than one occasion and complete tasks you would likely do if you lived locally.

This is especially valuable if you enjoy taking part in local events or are planning to attend classes nearby, most information can be found online and it’s also a great way to meet those who live in an area and ask them what it’s like to live there.

If transport is key to your move make sure the connections work for your purposes and are reliable. If there is an element of walking involved in your daily journey it might be useful to do a test run on the way to a viewing.

Arranging to view a property you’re considering at busy times can be helpful as you’ll quickly establish if the road is a cut through or bottleneck for traffic. The neighbourhood might be quiet on your first viewing in the middle of the day on a Saturday but a busy hive of activity on a Tuesday evening during rush hour.

You can also check local crime rates online and find out about any planned development nearby on the local authority’s website.

Planning for the future

Any property purchase should be seriously thought through prior to proceeding, and especially in the instance of relocation it’s important to consider the longevity of any home purchase.

Whilst you might not be planning to move for some time there is no harm in factoring in the possibility of future resale.

Whilst you may have found a property that seems excellent value for money compared to others in the area there is probably a reason, sometimes these reasons are things only locals would know, beware of properties that seem too good to be true, as they likely are.

We often recommend buying in up and coming areas especially where there is ongoing and planned gentrification. Recognising the difference between up and coming and an area that’s unlikely to change can be difficult, be wary of purchasing near to main busy roads, sewage works, chemical works or wastelands.

Moving to a new area

It can be daunting to move to a new area and a challenge to know if you’re buying in the right neighbourhood and even on a good road.

Our property finders share their local knowledge with clients allowing them to make a well informed decision when relocating. If you’d like to learn more about our service and how we can help you find a property to buy in a new area please, contact us.