Where to Buy

Do you know where you want to live? The state? The town? The area? It pays to have a clear notion of where you want to live before you start house hunting. Try narrowing things down before you start looking otherwise you will waste time and achieve little.

Location

Location is all important. Whether you want to move within your own town or move to another state, you should have a clear picture in your mind of where you would like to live. Is it in an urban or rural location? Are you thinking of a particular town, a certain neighbourhood, or even a particular street? It pays to be as specific as you can.

Wherever you are looking to buy, and especially if it is an area you are unfamiliar with, research it well. The internet is a wonderful resource and can tell you a lot about  property prices, market conditions and so on. But you will still need to do a little local detective work yourself.

• If you are unfamiliar with an area, visit it at different times of the day, both on weekdays and at weekends. This will help you identify any anti social behaviour from neighbours or other residents not apparent on your initial property visit. Also, periodic traffic and industrial noise, industrial smells and so on.
  
  
• If the property is near a school or college there may be noise from students, as well as from pubs and clubs. 
  
  
• What is the neighborhood like? Look out for signs of local crime: vandalism, broken telephone booths, graffiti, empty stores, trash left lying around, and rundown public areas.
  
  
• Check the proximity to local amenities such as a waste landfill site, or abattoirs - which could generate unpleasant smells, and railway lines that could suggest noise.
  
  
• Research at local libraries for details of any zoning for commercial or industrial developments.
  
  

• Be wary of any region that is susceptible to adverse weather conditions and natural hazards - hurricanes, forest fire, floods and earth tremors for example. There may be expensive insurance considerations.

If you are a first time home buyer you may find that where you would like to live, is outside your affordable price range. If so, compromise. Explore the areas adjacent to your ideal location, and keep moving outward until you find an acceptable and affordable alternative.

If you are looking for a particular style of property, be mindful of the fact that it may not exist in the area you are thinking of moving to. You have to be realistic.

Give consideration to factors in your life that may affect or influence your choice of home or location. If you are just a couple at present, are you likely to want to start a family while you remain living in the property. If so, will there be enough room? And how well is it situated in respect of local schools and other amenities for children?

If there is a chance that your job will require you to relocate within a couple of years, is it really in your interest to make a move now?