Things to consider when buying or renting your next property

In addition to finding a new home for sale or rent which has the space and amenities you are looking for and is within your price range, when moving home, there may also be other considerations to take into account Here are some questions to ask your Vendor, or Estate Agent and a few things to consider which can give you more information and help you be prepared for every eventuality before you move into your new property.

 

 

Who lives nearby?

Gone are the days when people knew everyone on their street, but your vendor should hopefully be able to tell you who lives in the homes close by to you. Is there a young family living there, or a couple on their own? Is the property a house share? Is there a dog living next door or any other pets? Having this information can help with getting to know your neighbours (or avoiding them), especially if you share a wall!

 

 

Wi-Fi

Given that Wi-Fi apparently now ranks highest in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, decent speed internet is often high up on the list of must-haves for a new home. Ask your vendor for info on their experience with broadband, or use a broadband checker tool to test the average speeds in the area. Similarly, do check whether you have good mobile coverage too.

 

 

School Catchment Areas

If you have children, or are planning on having them in the future, then of course your move may be motivated by school catchment areas. It’s helpful to find out whether your vendor knows if your property falls into school catchment areas over the last couple of years, although be aware that these can change year-on-year so don’t base it on previous catchment areas, especially if these are from many years ago.

 

You can also check this information for yourself, using a variety of different websites. Typically, your local council will be able to tell you whether your address falls into the catchment for the last few years, or you can ask each school directly for Catchment Area information.

 

Weather History

Ask your vendor about what the property is like at different times of year and whether the weather has affected the property before. For example, does the garden get the sun of a summer’s afternoon and makes a great spot for sunbathing? Has the property ever flooded before? Make sure you also ask about whether garages or sheds have been flooded due to bad weather too. Has the property ever been affected by high winds? What about snow? Are you likely to get snowed in or have trouble getting off your drive or down the road if it’s icy in winter? Are power cuts common during summer thunderstorms?

 

These may not necessarily be eventualities which would put you off buying or renting the property, but it’s always useful to know this information to help you to be prepared for life at different times of the year.

 

Amenities

Use a search engine to determine where the closest supermarkets to your new property are located and what their opening hours are. Also check which supermarkets will deliver to your new address and whether there are any smaller shops offering the security of an emergency pint of milk or loaf of bread.

 

Lifestyle

Have a think about what your hobbies are as your lifestyle may be linked to your house move.  For example, if you love walking then it may be helpful to have nice walks on your doorstep. If your hobbies are cycling, then check whether there is a cycle route near your home or somewhere that you can easily cycle to. Most importantly, will there be storage if your hobby involves equipment If your hobbies are further afield, then check that you can travel to where your hobbies are easily.

 

Transport Links

Think about how you travel around, and how easy it will be to get to the places you need to go from your prospective new home. Are you mainly a Car Driver? If so, how easy is it to travel to and from the places you go to every day? Are there nearby links to major roads and motorways if you need to be able to travel around the county easily?

 

Are you a commuter? If so, is it an easy walk, drive or ride to the Train Station? Do you use public transport and buses regularly? Is your home on a bus route? If public transport is important to you and it’s something that you’re going to be needing to use regularly, then it’s no good living in a place where there are no easy transport links.

 

Community

If community is important to you, then it can help to find out how community orientated your area is. Perhaps you’re really hoping to get involved with the local community and do some volunteering, or you are simply hoping there is lots going on and a good community feel to the area. Have a look and see whether your local area has a parish council or a local website as this will give you an indication of how community orientated the area is.

 

It may be that community life is centred around a place of worship, so if you attend church then it can be useful to know what local places of worship are around too.

 

Then of course there’s the local pub! The local pub is often the hub of many communities, and so again, if this is something which matters to you, then check out your prospective new local to help you make your decision.

 

Having information about these considerations can help you to make an informed decision on whether your new move is going to be right for you.

 

We’re always on-hand to answer any questions you may have about moving, so for info on the local area, or to book a property valuation, or enquire about homes for sale or rent, why not call us on 01727 221290 or pop into the office and see us!