10 Genius Ways to Decide Where to Live

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The idea of moving to a new home is something to be celebrated, especially if you’re an adventurous type of person. The excitement of experiencing a new climate, seeing new faces, exploring new cultures, and making new friends is out of this world. But you can’t just wake up one day and decide that you’re moving to Florida, and that’s it.

Before you move to a new city or town, you must check on different factors, including security, social amenities, and affordability, among others. Take a look at the following ways to decide where to live.

1. Check the Real Estate Value When Deciding Where to Live

The first thing you’re going to do when deciding where to live as a couple is to buy or rent a house. Real estate values are not the same for everyone. They’re also not the same every year because the value changes with economic fluctuations.

You have to check the current home prices, how they sell below or above the asking price, and the long-term value trends. If possible, consider a city with a stable housing market. Ask whether it’s safe to buy a home in that specific city or if you’ll be better off renting instead.

The best person to give you valuable information about the housing market is none other than a real estate agent. They can even offer to drive you around the neighborhood to see how the houses look and your future neighbors. You might not find complete information from your real estate agency, but the little you get will be a good start.

2. Crime Rates in Your Neighborhood

Everyone desires to live in a quiet and peaceful neighborhood. You must put security in your top considerations when deciding where to live in retirement. The real estate agent will not disclose the neighborhood’s crime rates because they’re adhering to the Fair Housing Act. You need to do your research and find helpful information about crime in the area.

Do some Google searches to find out the kinds of crimes that take place in the area. Tools like Neighborhood Scout, CityProtect, and AreaVibes can help. You can also talk to the people around that neighborhood to find some information about the place you intend to live.

While doing your research, also keep in mind that no single neighborhood is free of crime. Murders, sex offenses, and burglaries happen everywhere, so one or two of them should not scare you. Sometimes the population density of a given place can give you a rough idea of the crime rate as more people can mean more crime rates.

3. The Cost of Living

The cost of living in a place entails everything starting from home value, transportation, and other essentials such as restaurant prices and groceries. If you move to areas with a high cost of living, you’re going to spend more every day, which means you’ll also need to earn more. What you spend should be proportional to what you earn.

You don’t have to worry if your dream city has a high cost of living. Many expensive cities also have a lot to offer in terms of job opportunities, good weather, and high security. Life in such places is peaceful, and the ambiance is just perfect.

4. Make Friends With the Neighbors

As you walk through the neighborhoods, don’t ignore the people you’re coming across on the way. Greet people and try to bring up a conversation with them. If you find one or more people who’re willing to hold a chit-chat, take advantage of this and ask about the neighborhood.

Asking them about their likes and dislikes in the neighborhood. If you want to hear some honest opinions, don’t let them know that you’re a newcomer unless you want to raise unnecessary suspicions. Asking about security, activities that take place in the neighborhood, and how friendly the people are.

Don’t just talk to two people and make your conclusions, because people have different opinions. If possible, find people of different genders and age groups to hear about their opinion. If you can access former residents, you can also get some valuable information from them.

5. Find Available Employment Opportunities Where You Decide to Live

Depending on your career, such as catholic education jobs in Townsville, you need to find out if there are job opportunities in the city you intend to move to. If you’re a digital nomad, this is not a big concern. All you need is the availability of good internet, a good workspace, and a quiet neighborhood.

If you intend to find employment, dig some information about the job market in the specific town. Analyze the industries in the area that can provide quality employment opportunities. Know the areas where there’s the highest concentration of job offers related to your career.

Some careers will only require you to live in big cities. There are others like teaching where you can get a job anywhere. Also, consider the cost of living in that particular place concerning the salary you’re likely to get.

6. Education and Other Social Amenities

If you have school-going children, you should not ignore the availability of good schools in your neighborhood. If you prefer public schools, ensure they’re available in your new location. Take a tour of different schools and compare their programs, school fees, and other features.

Also, consider other learning amenities in the area, such as cultural activities and museums. Check other amenities, such as public parks, hospitals, and shopping centers. Make a list of the amenities you’ll badly need and how convenient they’ll be.

If you’re going to need to use public transportation, ensure you’re close to the rail station or access public buses. Choosing a city with many amenities will be a good decision.

7. Walk in the Neighborhood

An excellent way to know more about a neighborhood and go deeper is to take a walk. Don’t drive around as that means you only view the areas accessible by car. Check if the neighborhood parks are crowded or whether the sidewalks are full of people going about their duties.

Taking a walk also enables you to see the stores, recreational facilities, and eateries in the area. This also allows you to see things that might not be so good. Is the neighborhood too dusty, or there’s trash everywhere?

A walk will allow you to immerse deep in the neighborhood and see many things for yourself. This way, you’ll not only depend on hearsay when finding a perfect place to stay.

8. Check the Climate Before You Decide Where to Live

The climate of an area where you intend to live is a crucial factor. A particular climate will decide the quality of life you’ll get in that place.

For instance, if you’re winter sports enthusiasts, you need to move to areas that experience long winters. If you’re a beach person and prefer spending your free days bathing in the sun, you should choose a location near the beach and ensure the climate allows you to sunbathe. Climate has a lot to do with your hobbies, comfort, fashion, and health.

If you can’t live in a certain climate because of health issues, research about that before moving. Also, consider the air quality and pollution levels in the new place. Make sure you only choose cities that suit your climate-related needs.

9. How Close Are Your Family and Friends

Whether you’re moving to a new place searching for greener pastures or want some new experiences, don’t forget to put your family into consideration. If you’re the kind of person who won’t miss a family event such as birthday and anniversary celebrations, you shouldn’t go too far away.

It’s also good to make new friends, but that doesn’t mean you lose contact with your current ones. Make sure you can still show up at a friend’s wedding or a party. Don’t let loneliness and boredom kill you just because you decide to stay far away from the people who matter in your life.

10. Consider the Culture in the New City

Consider the people’s way of life and see if you can fit in. Do you prefer spending time in theaters, clubs, sports grounds, or museums? City life will suit you more.

If you prefer a much simpler and slower pace, then you need to stay in rural areas. You probably love nature, camping, hunting, or you’re a farmer. A less crowded area like a small village will suit you more.

You might also like to live in areas where you can interact with people who share your religious beliefs or those who’re members of your ethnic group. If culture is your primary drive to move, then choose wisely.

Are You Ready to Move to a New Place?

Moving to a place far away from where you’ve spent your whole life is a heroic decision. But before you decide where to live, you must put all the above factors in mind and make an informed decision. You’ll not be ready to move until you do your research and cover all the above tips.

If you need more help in moving, information about a new place, or how to decide where to live in Florida, we’re at your service. Go through this site and find all the information about either local or international moving destinations.

Education and Other Social Amenities 

If you want to know the education standards, you can compare the program, fees, and other features with the international school curriculum. Visit the website to learn more.