What Should You Consider Before Moving Into A New Area?

Is it your dream to live by the sea?  Surround yourself with nature or by mountains by living in a more rural area?  Have big-city culture with lots of life, on your doorstep?  Be able to walk to shops and good schools?  Or simply, want to be in an area near good transport links and with low crime rates?  Unconsciously or not, when you start that conversation about moving to a new area, things that are important to you will influence your decision about where to move.

Have you already made a list?  Did you ask your friends and family for their ideas and opinions? Perhaps you googled for advice – there’s always a top ten of everything on the web!  If so, you’ve already made a good start.

The things you consider will depend on your circumstances, the life stage you are in, what you earn and can afford, to borrow why you need to move and lots more.  What were important considerations in your twenties are likely to be very different in your forties and your sixties.

At Hadleigh, we are fortunate to cover some very desirable areas in Harborne, South Birmingham, Moseley, Bournville, and Selly Park.  We also know what our clients are looking for in these areas, so to help you, we’ve compiled a list of handy hints that we think might be useful:

Do you know the area you want to live in?

Before you decide on a property, research the area or areas you are interested in.  Questions to ask yourself are; what are the amenities like? Go to the park, the high street, the pubs.  Can you travel everywhere you need to be – try out the transport links, how long will it take you to get to work? Are there good surrounding schools?  What type of people live there i.e. young or old or a mix?  Chat to local residents and estate agents to get an insider view. If you’ve got a hobby, are there places you get out on your mountain bike or find a new allotment, or are there community groups you may be interested in joining?  You may even want to look at crime levels in the area. All this information can be found online, and it is worth looking into.

Where can you afford?

Do you know the average price of properties in the area you are interested in?  Do you also know how much houses costs compared to the average earnings in that area?  Get ahead of the game and spend some time browsing property sites on the web, to find out the areas that have the types of properties you are looking for and can afford.  Be realistic about how far your pound will go.

Note that if you can’t afford the uber fashionable area, look at less expensive areas neighbouring more affluent ones that may present good opportunities for future investment and growth.

How long do you intend to stay in that area?

Is it your forever house or just a stepping stone to somewhere else?  Do you need to ‘grow’ in the property, if you have, or are thinking of having kids, or extending the family?  If so, you will want to look at moving somewhere child friendly, with good schools and recreational facilities such as parks and playgrounds. Check out school catchment areas with the local council.

Similarly, you may want to consider what the employment opportunities are if you are planning to stay long term. What’s the local job market like, if you decide to leave your current employment? At some point in the future, you might want to adapt your work-life balance, especially if you are later in life?

I don’t know where to start?

When searching for your new dream home, sometimes you just don’t know where to start.  Property finder websites can make the searching process a little bit easier with properties all in one place from different estate agents.

Deciding on the area you want to live in could be one of the most important decisions you make, so treat it as such, and do your prep work and make sure you have made the right decision.

Contact Hadleigh Estate Agents for Properties To Buy & Rent

If you’re looking for a property to buy or rent in Birmingham, then please get in touch with our property experts. With over 40 years of experience, we are a market leader in the Harborne and Edgbaston area. Our friendly, experienced, and qualified team of estate and letting agents like to take the time to understand your needs to find out exactly what you’re looking for in a purchase or sale.

Get in touch with us on 0121 427 1213 or you can send us an email here.