Finding a place to build or buy a house is tricky. It requires a unique set of surroundings that many other people seemingly haven’t noticed and as any home builders can attest, these needs are seldom perfectly met. Maybe you take swimming classes and need a pool nearby, or maybe your children are part of a soccer team in an area of town that just isn’t selling well.
Whatever the problem, it can’t always be perfectly solved, but that doesn’t mean that your needs will go unfulfilled. There are always other pools, and there are always other soccer teams, and for other problems relating to this overarching issue of house location, we have written up a full article on how to choose a housing location that suits your needs.
Schools
For the house builder with children, school locations are hugely important when choosing a building site for your future home. Some parents want a location that has access to both public and private schools, some parents want their child to go to the same high-school as many of their primary school friends, and some just want as many choices as possible.
These are all achievable goals, but with prestige comes price, and the better schools will be in areas that cost more to buy in. Look at the median house prices when factoring in the necessary education for your kids.
Shops
Everyone needs reliable access to shops, and many people will buy closer to a shopping area just so they won’t have to drive as far when going to the supermarket for groceries. A large shopping area can also be a central hub for public transport, like buses, making it a good idea to position yourself within walking distance where possible.
Remember, one day you’ll want to travel somewhere without driving, or if you have or plan on having kids you’ll get sick of ferrying them around everywhere at some point, which is when a bus terminal nearby is a blessing.
Parks
Being surrounded by nature isn’t for everyone, but for many people it’s important to have the option if they should decide that they want to stroll on some soft grass every once in awhile. Parks or ovals near your home provide sporting opportunities for yourself and your partner, as well as friends, children, and any future pets you might end up getting.
Suburbs closer in benefit from getting away from the concrete jungle every now and then, and an abundance of trees and plants help to keep the oxygen quality at an all-time high for your good health.
Necessities
There are some things that are less often used but still just as needed, and these things are good to keep in mind when picking the location for you home. Things like a mechanic for your car are taken for granted, and just because you predictably need them once every twelve months doesn’t mean you won’t unpredictably need them as close as possible one morning.
A good rule of thumb for mechanics or plumbers or hardware stores is that they should ideally be a ten minute drive away, so it’s not too long to walk if need be, but not so close that you’re basing the whole decision of your house location around it.
Fun
Finally, the fun side of the debate. Many people choose their home location further out in the suburbs as they reach their middle aged years, as an apartment in the inner suburbs no longer meets all of their needs, but it’s not uncommon for people to simple shift to an inner suburb house these days, too.
The argument here is that there’s no reason to forsake the fun of the city for the stability of the suburbs, and there’s wisdom in that. A five or ten minute train ride home is better than an hour or more, especially late at night. It’s not like you’re magically going to forget about going out and having fun with your friends at any point.
These are good rules of thumb for choosing a house location, or at the very least are things to keep in mind, so delay no longer with your house location planning!