How to Choose the Best Neighborhood to Move To

Have you ever dreamed of hearing cheerful birdsong at dawn or green leaves whispering in the gentle wind when you open the windows of your room?

Or maybe you have always wanted a home downtown where life is so vivid and dynamic and something exciting happens every minute and at every corner, amidst colorful crowds in the day and bright neon lights in the night?

Whatever your idea for a perfect living place is, you have the chance to accomplish it when moving to a new home.

Regardless of the reasons behind your upcoming move, you are granted the unique opportunity to choose the right neighborhood for you and your family.

Moving to a better neighborhood can actually improve the quality of your life in terms of safety, convenience, and recreational activities.

Therefore, don’t hastily relocate to the cheapest residence available – there are many crucial factors to consider when choosing a new neighborhood.

Before elaborating on your moving plans, you definitely need to know your destination. Choosing a good neighborhood is a coherent process of wise decisions and appropriate actions.

It all begins in your mind.

Step 1. Determine What You Are Looking For

To avoid disappointment and serious mistakes when moving, you need to make it clear to yourself exactly what you want and precisely what you need from your future place of residence.

Consider all the things that will help you feel safe, calm, and happy:

Question 1: What surroundings lift your spirits?

Do you prefer a calm suburban area where you can enjoy a peaceful and quiet life in harmony with nature?

Or are you an active person who needs to be in the very center of the chaotic big city life?

Your future neighborhood has to reflect your lifestyle.

Question 2: Do distances bother you?

Do you intend to drive, use public transportation, or walk?

If you own a car and find it really convenient to drive to your workplace, your child’s school, etc., mind the condition of the roads and the kind of traffic in your future neighborhood, as well as the available parking spaces.

You may also want to consider the fact that the mass transit system often provides excellent and much easier (even much cheaper!) means of transportation, so benefit from buses and subway trains whenever possible.

In any case, estimate the time required to reach your destination and decide if you are willing to commute daily.

If not, just opt for a neighborhood within walking distance of all the places you need to visit on a routine basis.

Question 3: What kind of dwelling makes you feel at home?

Do you crave a large house and a yard spacious enough for your children and/or pets to play at will?

How about a garden with an enchanting fountain amidst blooming flowers and a fairy-tale gazebo beneath the trees?

Or would you rather live in a small cozy apartment that is easy to maintain?

Different neighborhoods offer different housing possibilities, so choose the type that best suits your needs.

Question 4: What is best for your children?

If you have kids or plan to have a baby soon, you’d better make sure your chosen neighborhood will be an appropriate place to raise young ones.

This roughly means a really safe community with plenty of green areas, good schools, a variety of sports and arts clubs, preferably a library and an amusement park in the vicinity… and just a bunch of several other strongly recommended facilities, such as day-care centers, large malls providing endless entertainment options, a good doctor and a 24-hour pharmacy in the area and so on.

Piece of cake, indeed!

Question 5: Are you a traditionalist or a modernist?

This refers to the architectural styles and the type of activities your new neighborhood will have to offer, as well as to the standards and the overall spirit of the community.

Do you favor endless nights at bars and discos, convenient access to exciting modern features, fancy clubs, and futuristic art?

There will be no strict rules in the new developments, most probably full of young and enthusiastic people. But modern neighborhoods are usually located far from the city center and lack the calm atmosphere for raising a child.

On the contrary, if you enjoy the rich cultural background of historic neighborhoods with century-old churches and places of interest, large parks, and quiet air, opt for an old residential quarter downtown.

However, remember that repair work will be probably required for the old buildings and there will be stricter standards as to your public behavior and responsibilities.

Question 6: What is it that you don’t want in your neighborhood?

Avoid everything that makes you feel uneasy – be it a noisy bar down the street, a cheap liquor store that attracts too many suspicious customers, or a dangerous crossroads. You want to be safe and comfortable in your new surroundings.

When you have completed the detailed image of your desired new neighborhood, it’s time to start looking for one that corresponds to your dream as closely as possible.

The Ultimate Moving Checklist

Step 2. Find The Best Neighborhood For You

First, think of any restrictions for the location of your new home related to the nature of your job, any special medical needs, financial issues, or others. Once you have eliminated the undesirable, unaffordable, or inconvenient neighborhoods, undertake careful research.

If you are performing a local move, the choice should prove to be easy enough. You will probably be acquainted with the reputation of the neighborhoods in nearby cities and the opportunities they offer or, if you are not, surely there will be a relative or a colleague or a friend who knows the place well. Just combine this information with the prices of the real estate and your personal preferences.

When it comes to unfamiliar cities, however, you need to know what to look for when choosing your new neighborhood. Gather all the information you can manage, compare all the factors, and choose wisely.

2.1. Crime and safety

Without a doubt, safety should be your topmost concern.

Your home may be your fortress but it is best to make sure that this fortress will not need to be constantly defended.

Burglary and house-breaking are on the rise nationwide, so request information about the crime rate in the particular neighborhood.

You can find statistics online or contact the local police station. Past events involving kidnapping or attempts on people’s lives in the area are more than alarming, so raise your guard and judge the situation well.

Considering safety, don’t forget to check the number of traffic accidents in the neighborhood, as well. Your children should be able to go to the local pastry shop or the bookstore on the corner without you worrying for their safety, right?

Remember that well-maintained broad sidewalks and bicycle lanes are always a good sign.

2.2. Business opportunities and prices

Even if you already have a job, business opportunities in the area should concern you. You never know what may happen in the future, so it comes as no surprise that places with plenty of good working positions and flourishing businesses top the list of the most desirable moving destinations.

Being able to earn well and afford high living standards is the ultimate goal of many people.

However, the property value and the prices in the area are among the most influential factors when choosing a new neighborhood to live in.

Downsizing, for example, is a good option for reducing the financial burden when moving. Nevertheless, it is not only the housing costs but the overall cost of living that you should check in advance.

Real estate prices are indeed a good indicator of the prices of all services and necessities in the region, but you could always use an online calculator tool to compare the costs of essentials like food, utilities, transportation, healthcare, education, clothing, entertainment, etc.

Mind the taxes, too, for they are different in different places.

2.3. Transportation

The infrastructure in your new neighborhood is another factor of primary importance.

If you can’t afford long commute hours in heavy traffic, you will have to settle for a residence near your workplace, your kids’ school, or any other institution you visit on a daily basis.

Living within a short walking distance from various local businesses will certainly facilitate your life a lot.

But it often happens that all the amenities you need are situated far enough from your office which is miles away from the beautiful park located in the western part of the city while the hospital you trust is built at the east end.

Since it is impossible to live close to all the important places in the city, set your priorities and select the right neighborhood that offers reliable public transport, good roads, and safe walking lanes.

2.4. Institutions

Having easy access to a variety of institutions is always convenient but it is especially so when moving with children. The choice of a good neighborhood becomes much tougher because you want the best for your little angels which brings many factors into play.

Investing in their good education should be, of course, one of your priorities.

You need to carefully research the school system in your new city and choose a place in the vicinity of a really good educational facility that will provide both the friendly and encouraging atmosphere required for the problem-free transition of your kids and the quality teaching practices that will ensure an excellent academic development for your young ones.

A good school will help your children advance in various spheres of science, art, handicrafts, sports, music, etc.

Children’s development and attitude are highly influenced by the opportunities available in your neighborhood.

An accessible sports center will be good for their physical development and respectively their health.

A library will provoke their interest in books and knowledge.

A dance or arts club will provide not only entertainment and a perfect chance for social interactions, but may also ignite their love for music, boost their talents, etc.

Unfortunately, children get sick or get hurt often. And in many cases, emergency help is required.

So, to ensure the peace of your mind, arrange for a living place close to a reliable doctor’s office or a reputable hospital, plus a 24-hour drugstore.

Professional medical care within easy reach is actually a matter of life and death.

2.5. Shopping centers and services

The closer the huge and cheap supermarket is to your home, the better.

And the same goes for a good shopping center with a variety of shops for clothes and shoes and toys and electronic equipment and so on.

Nearby grocery stores, office supply stores, coffee shops, and restaurants make the area more attractive and doubtlessly, more convenient. It is good to have a hairdresser’s and dry cleaner’s in the neighborhood, as well as a post office, a gas station, and a repair shop, isn’t it?

Think of all the services you need often and the kind of shops you prefer, and choose your new neighborhood accordingly.

2.6. Pleasant atmosphere

What makes a good neighborhood? It is not restricted only to the safety, the prices, the conveniences, and the opportunities a residential complex provides, but also to how it feels.

Think about:

• Parks and gardens – a green and peaceful neighborhood possesses incredible charm and provides good recreational activities;
• Cultural activities – a movie theater offers great entertainment for old and young alike, and so do music halls, art galleries, disco clubs, etc. Cultural events in the area like concerts and festivals certainly promise hours and hours of fun;
• Attractions – amusement parks, museums, and places of interest will attract many interesting people to the neighborhood and will help it prosper;
• Hobbies – to be a happy person everyone needs to practice activities that entertain and delight them, so sports centers and various clubs are sure to please the community.

Having to travel outside your neighborhood to have fun with friends or to practice your hobbies requires too much time and may turn into a costly endeavor, so it is important to have all these options available nearby.

Step 3. Explore Your Chosen Neighborhood

Once you have settled on a certain district that meets the above requirements and suits your personal needs and preferences, you are advised to explore it carefully before taking the final step.

3.1. Visit the neighborhood several times

Provided that you have enough time left before moving day, it is a good idea to observe the life in your chosen neighborhood.

Try to get an idea of what the community life there is like:

• Do people socialize a lot or do they prefer strict privacy?
• Can you feel a friendly and helpful attitude?
• Are the streets clean and well-lit?
• How is the traffic during the rush hour and where do people park?
• Are the bars and restaurants lively?
• Is there music to be heard late in the evening, or maybe disturbing noises from nearby factories?
• Are people jogging or walking their dogs in the morning or sitting on benches and laughing together in the afternoons, carefree?
• Can you see happy children playing outside?

As an objective observer, you will quickly get a notion of the overall atmosphere in the particular neighborhood and will be able to decide if you will fit in.

3.2. Talk to the local people

Of course, nobody can provide better inside information about all that is good and all that is bad in a certain area than the people who live there.

However, make your inquiries in a friendly and polite manner and do not overreact, regardless of how positive or negative the received information is.

As a general rule, people like to complain, so you are almost certain to learn about all that is wrong in the neighborhood rather quickly.

Do not jump to hasty conclusions, but try to convince the people to share what they fear and what they lack in the area, but also what they enjoy and cherish about their community life.

If there are too many major issues or essential things to be done in order to improve the neighborhood, think twice before making the final choice.

3.3. Pay attention to any warning signs

Learn to recognize the signs of a bad neighborhood so that you avoid moving to a place where you will not be able to ever feel at home:

• Many deserted houses and homes that are FOR SALE;
• Broken fences and windows, gardens, front yards, or doorways that are not well maintained;
• Bars or heavy locks on doors and windows;
• Spray-painted walls with obscene or outrageous inscriptions on them;
• Bad-looking school buildings with neglected yards;
• Smoking or drinking or fighting teenagers, not wearing school uniforms, and showing no respect for each other or for anyone else;
• Garbage all over the streets;
• Businesses that sell only through small windows;
• Liquor stores, bars, and casinos with suspicious customers;
• Derelict churches or libraries or any cultural institutions or the lack of such;
• Homeless people or beggars or hookers;
• And of course, frequent gunshots or police raids and the like.

There are many warning signs and the presence of two or more of them in the same neighborhood should serve as a red flag for you. Research your options again.

Step 4. Reach A Successful Conclusion

If you are satisfied with all the aspects of a particular neighborhood, search for a property in the area that has the characteristics of your perfect future home.

Once you have bought or rented an appropriate residence, plan a successful moving strategy.

At this point, a trustworthy moving company can help a great deal with experienced and speedy relocation services.

This will save you many troubles and worries, especially if choosing the right home has taken too much of your time.

As soon as the relocation is over, your new life will turn into a pleasant experience much easier if you know what to do when you move into a new neighborhood.

Befriend your neighbors and respect the lifestyles they have chosen.

Enjoy your new neighborhood!

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