If you’re building a new home from scratch, part of the process will be buying land. It sounds like a simple enough process, but you need to think not just about the land itself, but the area it is in.
The location of your new house can affect the quality of life that comes with your home, as well as its long term financial potential. Whilst it’s easy to brush over the land buying process, and focus instead on the design of your home, choosing the right location can make all the difference.
But if you’re not sure how to go about finding the perfect location, here are a few tips and things to consider to help you make the right choice for you and your home.
The first thing to think about when choosing a location is what sort of setting you want to be in. Deciding whether you want to be in a city, suburb or rural location is a good way to narrow down your different options.
Which setting you want to live in depends on what sort of lifestyle you want to have in your new home. It can also affect the size of your home. Cities, suburbs and rural locations all have different advantages, so you need to think about which is more suited to you.
If you enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life, and enjoy going out regularly then a city might be the best place for your new home. Remember though, that it’s often harder to find available land in cities, and you’re more likely to have to build a smaller home on an infill block. If you had your hopes set on a larger new build in the city, then it might be worth considering a knockdown and rebuild.
Suburbs are a popular choice for families and those that want to have the best of both worlds when it comes to peace and quiet and convenience. Suburbs are more laid-back, but still have a community feel, and usually have easy access to transport links, schools and other local facilities.
Rural locations are great for those who want to escape, and relax away from the everyday drama and hurry of built up locations. You can often find larger blocks in rural areas, so it can be easier to find a block big enough for the home of your dreams. The main issue with rural locations is that they are often quite far from shops and transport links.
This is a good question to ask yourself when choosing a location for your new home. It also ties in with your decision to build in a city, suburb or rural area.
If you have school-aged children, or even if you’re planning to have children later down the line, you might want to be in an area that has a nearby school or two. Having schools close-by will also increase your pool of potential buyers if you ever decide to sell, and families are often willing to pay more for homes that have schools nearby.
You should also consider whether or not you need to be within close proximity to your place of work. Commutes can be tiring and expensive, so being only a short distance from your workplace can make life in your new home happier and more comfortable.
Then there’s things like transport links and local facilities to think about. Do you want to be able to easily reach the train station, shops, etc?
As well as what you need nearby, it’s worth thinking about how being close to these things can impact on the value of your home. Even if you’re not planning on selling anytime soon, a conveniently located home is an good investment.
Moving away from friends and loved ones can hit harder than you might imagine. So whilst you might be excited for a complete change of scenery, it’s worth asking yourself how far away from your loved ones you actually want to be.
If missing friends and family is going to negatively impact on your ability to enjoy your new home, you might want to consider looking for land in nearby locations.
Bad neighbours are everyone’s worst nightmare. The last thing you want is to move into your new home only to enter into a war with those living next door.
When viewing an area, try and meet a few of the locals. You’ll get to know your potential neighbours, and you’ll get a feel of life in the area – looking at the gardens, parked cars, etc, can give you a feeling (good or bad) about a street or area.
Finding out who the neighbours are is a good way to make sure you’re not walking into the unknown, and it will also give you an idea of whether or not the neighbourhood is suited to you and your lifestyle.
The safety of the neighbourhood you move into will affect your quality of life in your new home. You want to feel completely happy without a stress in the world, so make sure you look into how safe the neighbourhood is.
Locations with a high crime rate aren’t as likely to appreciate in value, so if you want your home to be a worthwhile investment, the safety of potential locations is something you need to look into.
Choosing the right location for your new home is an important part of making your home everything you hoped it would be. The location can be just as important as the home itself.
So considering things like convenience, safety, neighbours and distance from loved ones can help you choose a location that’s perfect for you and your lifestyle.
A good location is also an important factor when it comes to the value of your home. Whether you plan on selling or not, everyone wants their home to be as much of an investment as it can be.
So spend a little time choosing the perfect spot for your new home, and you’ll have the home you always dreamed of.