Love your location: How to choose the right area for your new home

Any new home search should start with some forward planning. Think about how long you want to stay there and what might change in your life over that time. Then formulate a list of priorities and base your search around those. If you are wondering how to choose the right location for a new build home, then here are some things that are helpful to consider:

Transport links

This is one of the easiest things to research, but it can take a bit of time. Check out your local bus stops, find out where the buses go, and if you can get to school, work or wherever else you might need. Find the local train station too and check the timetables.

If you’re a cyclist then research the nearby bike routes too. Sustrans is a great place to start looking for safe and marked routes.

Easy travel to visit family and friends

Visiting friends and family can take up a surprising amount of time, so thinking about whether you are within easy reach of a motorway, or a direct transport link can have a huge impact on your life.

Sometimes it’s a question of picking the right side of a town or city. Forcing your way through traffic before you even get to a motorway can leave you feeling exhausted over time.

Shops and amenities

However organised you are, and however carefully you plan your weekly shopping deliveries, there will always be that moment that you run out of something essential (milk, chocolate, etc).

Having shops close by can be really helpful, and for some people they are a lifeline. Have a look at the playgrounds and greenspaces too, and maybe the local pub as well.

Hobbies and lifestyle

We will all have varying priorities when it comes to lifestyle and what’s important. Before you choose your new home you need to work out what yours are. For some people it’s the local pub, perfect for Sunday roasts or an evening out. For others it’s about the local school or nurseries.

If you are outdoorsy, you could look at the surrounding areas too and think about how easy it will be for you to escape up into the hills or the coast when you feel like it. And maybe a neighbourhood café where you can grab a coffee in the morning and chat up with friends. If you’re looking at a new house then try to imagine your daily life not just within the building itself, but in the wider area too.

Safety, security and crime

When it comes to feeling safe and secure, location can have a lot to do with it. All our developments are designed to create a sense of community and neighbourhood. Living in a place where you get to know the people around you, see them on the streets and recognise the comings and goings of their daily life can give you peace of mind – and someone to watch you house while you’re on holiday.

It is also worth visiting the place where you are looking to buy a few times before you put an offer in. If you have a property in mind, go at different times of the day to get a true representation of what the area is like.

Nature

For many of us, getting out into nature everyday can add a lot to our general health and happiness. If you can find a home that is near to the coast or the countryside, or both, then you will have a limitless supply of walks, runs, and trips out.

If you are in a more suburban setting, then explore the surroundings and see if you can find some green spaces to get a breath of fresh air and a moment of calm.

Community life

Whether you’re the life and soul of the party, or a completely private person, living in a place with a strong sense of community has myriad benefits.

It’s not all about street parties and summer barbecues, although that is nice sometimes. More importantly it’s about knowing that you have someone to call on if you need help, and people to say hello to if you just need a friendly face one day.

Get in touch to arrange a viewing of one of our new homes at The Folly, Hornsea, East Yorkshire, and find out how our homes are designed with a sense of community at heart.