Moving to the right area is arguably more important than moving to the right property. After all, you can improve a property through decorating and renovations. However, you can’t change the area that it’s in.
Along with making sure that the area is attractive and safe, it could be important to check that there are certain essential facilities within the area. Having such amenities within walking distance could be very convenient – you don’t want to be driving miles to access them. Below are 10 examples of local amenities to consider when moving home.
Grocery stores
Being able to easily shop for food is essential. When checking grocery stores in your area, make sure that they are the type of store that you would happily shop at. Do you need somewhere to shop on a budget? Or is it more important to have somewhere that sells fresh high-quality foods?
Public transport links
If you don’t drive, moving somewhere with good public transport links could be very important. Look into local bus routes and check how far you have to walk to reach a bus. Living near a train station could also be useful (and if you’re moving somewhere within a city, consider subway stations).
Healthcare services
Some small villages and towns won’t have their own hospital and may only have a tiny local clinic. Make sure that you don’t have to travel too far to get medical attention. Living within 5 minutes of a pharmacy could also be useful for collecting prescription medicine.
Schools
If you have kids, you need to make sure there are good quality schools in the area. Check what grades the schools get and what the consensus is among parents. If your kids are already in a school and you don’t want to move them, make sure that your child is able to easily travel to and from the school.
Places of worship
Are you religious? If so, consider whether it’s important to have a place of worship nearby that aligns with your faith. Visiting this place of worship could be worthwhile to make sure it has the right atmosphere.
Post office
For when you need to deliver parcels or buy stamps, a local post office can be very useful. Check where the nearest one is. Local public mailboxes could also be worth looking into for sending letters.
Banks
A lot of banking can now be done online, however it’s still useful to have a physical branch nearby for certain enquiries and tasks. Check that your bank has an outlet nearby. You may also want to look into local ATMs for instances when you need to withdraw cash.
Parks
When moving to a large town or city, having access to green space can be important for one’s mental health. It could be particularly important if you have a dog you want to take on walks, or if you’re moving to an apartment with kids and need somewhere local for them to play (make sure there is a local play park).
Restaurants, cafes and bars
Having local places to eat, drink and meet with friends is important too. Some residential areas have restaurants and cafes on every corner. Others are purely for houses and may have to travel to a downtown area to find anywhere to eat. When it comes to bars, having a friendly bar within walking distance could be important so that you’re not encouraged to drink and drive.
Other recreation facilities
Other recreation facilities like gyms, public pools, libraries, movie theaters, sports clubs and music venues could also be worth looking into – depending on your hobbies and interests. Some areas may have better recreational facilities for families, whereas others may have more places targeted at adults. Make sure to choose an area suited to your recreational interests.