How to Find the Best Neighbourhood for Your Next Home

Moving home is not just about finding a new property that better suits your needs — it’s also a chance to choose the best neighbourhood for your family. In fact, this is just as important as the home itself. Since everyone has different priorities, you’ll need to consider several factors and decide how much each matters to you. Here are a few considerations to bear in mind during your search.

1. Styles of Homes

Neighbourhoods tend to have just a few different styles of homes. Think about your preferences. Would you like to live in a single-family home or are you happy with a multi-family home? Do you want a one-story or multi-story home? Do you prefer a condominium, apartment, townhouse, or manufactured home?

When thinking about home style, bear in mind aspects like size (in terms of square footage as well as number of bedrooms and bathrooms) and cost. In regard to cost, budget for the price of the home as well as property taxes, insurance, and housing association or condo fees (if applicable) — all of which vary depending on the type of home.

2. Amenities

Consider what kind of amenities you’d like to have in your ideal neighbourhood. You may want easy access to stores, healthcare services, outdoor spaces, and recreational activities.

3. Access to Your Workplace

Unless you work from home, you’ll need to consider how you’ll reach your workplace. Decide how long you’re willing to spend commuting to work and whether you’d like to use public transportation.

4. Pet Restrictions

If you have pets, it’s important to find out if there are any restrictions in a certain neighbourhood. Some homeowners associations and condominiums have limits on the number of pets or types of animals residents are allowed to have, whereas some municipalities ban particular breeds.

5. Schools

Good schools are crucial if you have children or plan to start a family in your new home. Although schools are less important if you don’t have children, they’re still something to consider because they influence property values.

6. Walkability

If you want your kids to walk to school or you want to use public transportation, it’s important to find a neighbourhood that’s walkable. You may also be interested in walking to parks, cafés, and stores or want to have access to nature trails.

7. Safety

Most people put safety near the top of their list of priorities. Find out the crime statistics for the neighbourhood from the community or city government website. It’s also worth researching whether there’s a neighbourhood watch set up.

8. Diversity

Many homebuyers prefer to live in a diverse neighbourhood where they’ll be around people of different ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles. Neighbourhood statistics often include a diversity score.

For help finding the best neighbourhood for your next home, turn to experts in real estate. Sherwood Park homebuyers can find support from the team at Damon Bunting. We’re familiar with all the neighbourhoods and know what makes each one special — we’ll help you find the perfect property in the best neighbourhood for you. Connect with us now to start your search for the ideal property.