9 Things need to Know When Moving to a New Neighborhood

Published on: 15 December 2017 Last Updated on: 24 February 2020
Neighborhood

Moving to a new neighborhood can be daunting. Just because a neighborhood looks inviting does not necessarily mean peace of mind. Ever gone phone shopping without knowing the specifications and how it will meet your needs? Shopping blind means you may go home with something less than ideal for your needs.

The same goes for looking for a new neighborhood to move in. You can’t call your agent after moving in a couple of days to say you do not like the place. Before you sign a lease or mortgage do your homework first.

Thanks to the internet, you don’t have to worry about how to find a job based on your geolocation. I mean, online Ghanaian job postings for employers have facilitated the search for jobs.

Nevertheless, searching for the neighborhood of your dreams means you have to consider a lot of other things. For instance, you might want to consider safety, amenities, architectural style, just to name a few.

These are some questions to ask yourself before moving to a new neighborhood. These questions will help you to streamline your search in finding the perfect neighborhood with your specifications.

Read More: Are You Planning To Relocate To Canada?

Question 1

Does the neighborhood have sidewalks?

Reason

A lot of people do not think of sidewalks when searching for a new neighborhood. Sidewalks actually say a lot about the neighborhood. Sidewalks suggest an active presence of your neighbors. It means amenities are easily accessible either by walking or jogging.

Sidewalks also mean the neighborhood is safer. This is because you are less likely to get hit by a car when taking a stroll. The safety of sidewalks makes it extremely desirable especially if you have children and pets.

Question 2

Do you have to take care of taxes and other expenses?

Reason

Most often than not, we focus on buying a home but forget additional expenses. These costs should be an important factor in your decision to move to a new neighborhood. For instance, you may be responsible for your pricey home owner’s association fees when moving to a condo or country club. Some of these fees come with rules so you need to understand these before making a decision. If the association forbids parking of motorcycles in driveways and you happen to own one, it is time to consider.

Property taxes are another important cost people overlook particularly if you escrow and pay as part of your mortgage payment. Property taxes are taxed based on the value of your home. Therefore, they can increase if you escrow which changes your monthly payment. Prepare yourself to make sure your budget can handle such increment.

On the other hand, if you decide to move to a declining housing market, your taxes may decrease. It has its own perks as well. Moving to such a neighborhood means less access to good public services.

Question 3

Does the neighborhood have amenities for you and/or your family to indulge in activities?

Reason

This is a pretty obvious question. Whether you’re single, have a family with children or is retired with your spouse pretty much sums up what you should look out for in a neighborhood. You will want a new neighborhood that has everything to suit your lifestyle.

For families with children, they might be interested in communities with parks, a swimming pool, libraries, and others. A young single person with a dog might want a neighborhood with a dog park or bike trails. If you enjoy a good movie at the cinema and you have to drive a long distance to access one from the new neighborhood you might want to reconsider.

On the other hand, a new neighborhood may not have some amenities. You will have to compromise in some situations. Make sure the necessary basic amenities are within your reach.

Question 4

Does the neighborhood provide you with convenience?

Reason

Convenience is walking to a shopping center nearby and accomplishing several errands within a very short period. Convenience is getting easy access to stores you frequently visit. The biggest convenience is the ease to commute to work daily.

In other words, the more convenient your neighborhood is, the more it affects your happiness. Moving to a neighborhood that has your favorite stores within reach is a plus. Not only do you save money on gas, but you also get to patronize these services at your own time.

Ask yourself this, do I have to double my commute trip to work or to school if I move to this neighborhood? Is it really worth that trouble?

Question 5

What are your plans for the future?

Reason

The neighborhood may look great in the present but may be liable to change in the future. In a neighborhood you move into, living in the here and now may be a good outlook on life. However, it does not necessarily mean a good neighbourhood.

Check with your local planning office about future developments in your area. It is because you may not want to purchase a new home only to find out it’s in the middle of a new community college. Visiting the planning office and inform you of any future construction project that will affect the neighborhood.

So you like the quiet private nature of the neighborhood with mature trees lined up along each side. Probably in the future, these trees will be cut down to build another subdivision. So even if your lot is not directly affected, it may impact the serene environment you’ve come to love. All this may affect your decision of moving to the neighborhood.

Question 6

Is the neighborhood situated in a noisy place or has a bad smell?

Reason

Your well being and health is one important factor when choosing a neighborhood to move into. Visiting the neighborhood several times during the day is extremely important. On paper, the place might be a perfect fit for you, but visiting the place will reveal its secrets.

The perfectly lined trees behind the house may be hiding a major road. Train tracks, restaurants, clubs and all that create noise that may be a menace. These bothersome noises will never go away. So while you may get used to them is a gamble.

In addition, in the eventuality that you want to move from the place, it is usually harder to sell a place with so much noise. While you are listening, you may want to get a good whiff of the air in the neighborhood. A stagnant lake, sewage problems, and even a corner BBQ joint can create some odors that do not go away.

Question 7

What is the crime rate in the neighborhood?

Reason

This is for your own sake and safety. You do not want your new home to feel like you are trapped in a war zone. It is also easier to know the crime rate of the neighborhood as they are many websites available for that.

This makes it especially easier for you to decide if you are stuck between two neighborhood choices. If you find a neighborhood you love and to your dismay, you find it has a questionable crime rat, you should speak to your local police office for more details. It could be just a small area away from your new home acting as a crime magnet.

Question 8

Are they good schools?

Reason

This is a very important question to ask if you have children. The presence of public and private schools from kindergarten to high schools affect the value of a home. If you do not have children, it is very important to understand that the quality of the school system in that area will affect the resale of your home.

Also, good schools may add unnecessary costs to your rent if you do not have children. If you do have children, research about the school by seeking advice from fellow parents in the neighborliness. Most schools give tours as well, so might want to take advantage of this. Also, inquire about school activities and extra-curricular activities the school permits.

Question 9

What is the neighborhood culture?

Reason

So you’ve found a neighborhood that fits your budget, has low crime rates, great reviews and all that, what of the culture? Your dream neighbourhood isn’t about statistics and information, is about how the place makes you feel.

If you are used to a hip urban neighborhood, you may not be happy in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood. Doing so means you have to compromise on some things if that’s your wish. The bottom line is, you won’t be happy moving to a neighborhood that does not fit your lifestyle.

Make sure the neighborhood you choose has the right culture, then other pieces may fall into place.

Read More:

  1. Dalhousie, A Perfect Place To Unplug The Anxiety Of Rat Race Of Modern Cities
  2. Create A Stunning Outdoor Space With These Residential Landscape Lighting Tips
  3. 5 Essential Tips To Designing A Beautiful Front Yard Garden
  4. List Of Most Durable Kitchen Flooring

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Residential Roofing Company

Why You Must Use A Residential Roofing Company For Your Home

Asphalt roofing is a type of residential roofing that is being used in 80% of The Homes that you will get to see all over the United States. However, this might look very attractive to the eyes, but it is essential to give and keep in mind that you will have to replace it after some time. If you want to reduce the frequency of the replacement of the roof of your home, then there are certain measures you have to take for that. The solution for this is to work with professional roofing companies, and it is going to bring multiple benefits along with it as well. What Are The Advantages Of Taking The Help From Residential Roofing? In this article, we will discuss why you should use a residential roofing company for your home. Keep on reading to find out more information below about longrun companies.  1. Quick The first major benefit of working with a residential roofing company is that they are going to get the job done real quick. Whenever you are looking for a quick roof replacement, then you can get in touch with them, and they will get the service done within a few hours instead of weeks or days. Nothing is that you cannot reside in your home when the roofing replacement is going on, and you need to find some other place to live for some time.  However, that is not going to be a problem for you whenever you get in touch with a professional residential roofing company because they will get the job for a few hours. You only need to be out of your house so everything will return to normal.  2. No Damages Commonly, many times different areas of houses get damaged whenever they are getting the residential roofing replacement job done because the companies are not professional now.  And another benefit that you are going to get when you get in touch with a professional residential-looking company is that they are not going to damage your property. There is no damage cost that you have to face, and there is no additional money that is going to go into repair, especially when you are getting your roof replacement done by my professional company.  3. Warranty  You never know when things can go wrong, then that is why you need to make sure that the service that you are getting is covered by a warranty. The warranty ensures your residential roofing cost remains under the budget.  Usually, every service covers the roofing work under warranty. Before taking the services, always go through the warranty papers' terms and conditions. And ask about the extension policies of the terms and conditions. A professional residential roofing company is always going to provide you with a warranty that you can claim, and they are going to make sure that they will go the extra mile to provide you with the quality materials and the quality roofing that they are installing in your home.  4. Safety Then it's the benefit of working with a professional company, they're going to get the job used securely, and there is no risk. You cannot get this job done by yourself because it is a dangerous thing to do, especially when a ladder is involved.  Working with professional residential roofing companies is always going to be a breeze because there are going to be no accidents involved. Breakable residential roofing is causing serious trouble for homeowners. Through residential roofing, you can minimize the chances of any sudden coming accidents.  5. Upgrade The Roof Quality Residential roofing is more like a new warranty on your roof. Even if you want a new roof makeover, this will also be a great choice. Your residential roofing will save the roof of your house and give your roof a stunning makeover. Often the roof areas are getting destroyed due to heavy rainfall or snowfall. So the best way to recover the roof's health is to call professional residential roofing services, and that’s all. Your roof quality, along with the look both getting upgraded. Your residential roofing is going to enhance the quality of your roof along with the outstanding look. So if you want to upgrade the look of your house, this will be a pretty smart shortcut process. Wrapping Up: Residential roofing and commercial roofing are different. Residential roofing requires minor touch-ups as regular residential places do not have any protective layer. But the residential places require top-to-bottom roofing constructions to protect the area from snowfalls and rain. Additional: 5 Myths about Roofing Services to Avoid Roofing Painting Contractor Leads: Ask Before Hiring One The Top 4 Health Benefits That You Can Get From Wall Soundproofing! Everything You Need To Know About Metal Roofing: Pros, Cons, And Costs

READ MOREDetails
Maintain Garden

4 Essential Tools Needed to Maintain Your Garden in the Winter

You may not expect that it is necessary to do yard work in the winter, but it is more important than you think. Properly preparing your lawn in the beginning months of cold weather and even though snowy conditions will ensure you have the best-looking lawn come springtime. These four tools are essential in maintaining a healthy yard during the winter. 4 Essential Tools For Maintaining Your Winter Garden When you love to spend your leisure time in front of your lawn. The maintains of your garden is quite an important task to preserve the beauty of your favorite garden. Every time seeking professional help is costly so better look at how you can maintain a garden in winter using some simple tools. However, you need to understand that maintaining your garden during winter can be a tough affair. Not only will freezing temperatures deter you from engaging in outdoor work, but the tools and machines can become non-operational. This is why a good idea would be to engage an expert to do the needful. Tree Service Round Rock can maintain your garden during the winters and ensure that you stay safely and cozily within the warm confines of your home. Here are the names of four tools to maintain a garden in the winter season. 1. Aerator: Cool-season grass, which is the most common type, should be aerated in the early spring and late fall. For those of you that may not be familiar with this machine, it digs small plug-like holes out of the ground. This helps the grassroots have access to more water, nutrients, and air. The point of this is to make the roots deeper and healthier so the grass has a stronger foundation to grow. Use this equipment on a day that the ground is slightly moist, maybe the day after rain, for the best results. It will relieve the soil from compaction that causes the roots to be starved and suffocated. Making sure your grass gets all the nutrients it needs before it is covered in snow will help it grow back better when the weather warms up. 2. Chainsaw: Pruning your trees and bushes during the wintertime is an essential part of a healthy yard. Plants will waste too much energy trying to send nourishment to dead limbs which affect the living ones. Investing in a chainsaw would be beneficial so that you can cut down the dead branches. If you are a seasoned expert, you will know to not only trim dead branches but also cut any that are rubbing together. Damage to the tree from the rubbing can create an entry for bugs to get inside. When it comes to finding a good quality chainsaw, get this it works! The better the quality of equipment, the less risk when it comes to the safety and wellbeing of your yard. 3. Drop Spreader: Fertilizer is the basis for giving your lawn what it needs to look its best for next year. There are winterizing products that slowly release nitrogen during the offseason. Using a spreader makes this task time-efficient and well done. It allows you to evenly distribute the fertilizer throughout the lawn, maximizing the benefits of this product. Putting grass seed down at the beginning of the winter can help maintain your yard as well. You will use the same drop spreader to put this down, but you’ll want to make sure you set the amount it is releasing slightly less than recommended. In doing this, you can overlap your passes, so nothing is missed, and you still have enough to do the whole yard. As a pro tip, it is encouraged to spread a thin layer of compost before laying the seed. Combining the seed and the compost keeps your grass moist and germinated during dry and cold weather. 4. Rake: Before a snowfall, it is crucial to clear your yard of any leaves, branches, or debris. When this waste sits on your grass all winter it will cause these patches to brown or die. Simply raking every once in a while will prevent dead spots and inconsistency in height and color. Raking will also help mix in any seed or fertilizer you have laid down in the soil previously. Something to keep in mind is to make sure you are not raking when the ground is frozen. The protective layer in the frozen blades of grass gets destroyed from the pressure of footsteps. While this will not kill the grass, it may cause it to be brown when it grows back in. Get a leg up on those who do not know to still maintain during the winter months. Investing in these tools will ensure you have the lushest green grass on the block come spring and summertime. Wrapping It Up: Maintain Garden is simple when you are already having the essential tools to do the job. But the professional touch every time required. When you already have these tools your hard work related to garden maintains in the winter is becoming a much easier process. So what is your opinion? Are you going to maintain your garden on your own? Or do you seek professional help? Do not forget to share your opinion with us. Read Also: 5 Summer Garden Maintenance Tips And Tactics You Have To Know 5 Essential Tips To Designing A Beautiful Front Yard Garden

READ MOREDetails
Versatility Of Cream-Colored Rugs

Cream-Colored Rugs: A Must-Have Addition For Home Decor

Cream-colored rugs are a versatile and timeless addition to any home decor. With their soft and elegant hue, these rugs bring warmth and sophistication to any space. Whether you want to create a cozy ambiance in your living room or add a touch of luxury to your bedroom, cream-colored rugs are the perfect choice. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of cream-coloured rugs available, how to decorate with them in various spaces of your home, and the many benefits they offer. So get ready to be inspired by the beauty and versatility of cream-colored rugs! Why Cream-Colored Rugs? Cream-colored rugs are highly sought after for several reasons. Their neutral color makes them incredibly versatile and easy to incorporate into any existing decor scheme. Whether your style is traditional, modern, or eclectic, a cream-colored rug can seamlessly blend in and enhance the overall aesthetic of your space. Furthermore, cream is known for its calming and soothing effect on the mind. By incorporating a cream-colored rug into your living room or bedroom, you can create a serene atmosphere that promotes relaxation and tranquility. This is especially beneficial in spaces where you unwind and recharge after a long day. In addition to their versatility and calming properties, cream-coloured rugs also have an incredible ability to make small spaces appear larger. The light color reflects more natural sunlight, giving the illusion of openness and airiness. If you have a compact living room or bedroom rugs in cream color, adding a cream-colored rug can instantly transform the space by making it feel more spacious. But certainly not least important when considering home decor choices - maintenance! Cream-colored rugs tend to be less prone to showing dirt and stains compared to darker colored options. They offer practicality while still maintaining elegance throughout all seasons. The Different Types Of Cream-Colored Rugs Cream-colored rugs come in a variety of styles and materials, making them an incredibly versatile choice for any home decor. Whether you're looking to create a cozy living room or add a touch of elegance to your bedroom, there's a cream-colored rug that will suit your needs. The Shag: One popular type of cream-colored rug is the shag rug. These rugs have long, fluffy fibers that create a luxurious and inviting feel underfoot. They are perfect for adding warmth and texture to any space, whether it be a living room or bedroom. The Oriental: Another option is the traditional Oriental rug. These rugs feature intricate patterns and designs in shades of cream and beige. They can add an elegant touch to any room and are particularly well-suited for more formal spaces such as dining rooms or home offices. Geometric Patterns: For those who prefer a more modern look, there are also cream-colored rugs with geometric patterns or abstract designs. These rugs can add visual interest to contemporary spaces and pair well with sleek furniture and minimalist decor. Wool & Synthetic: In terms of material, cream-colored rugs are available in everything from wool to synthetic fibres like polyester or nylon. Wool rugs offer durability, softness, and natural stain resistance, while synthetic options may be more budget-friendly without compromising on style. How To Decorate With Cream-Colored Rugs Cream-colored rugs are a versatile addition to any home decor, adding warmth and elegance to every space. Whether you have a living room, bedroom, or even a dining area, cream-colored rugs can transform your space into a cosy oasis. Living Room- In the living room, consider placing a cream rugs in the living room in front of your sofa or under your coffee table. This will create a focal point and anchor the seating area. Pair it with neutral-toned furniture for an airy and sophisticated look. Add pops of colour through accent pillows or artwork to create visual interest. Bedroom- For the bedroom, opt for a larger cream-colored rug that covers most of the floor space. This will create an inviting atmosphere and make your feet feel pampered when you wake up in the morning. Consider layering smaller rugs on each side of the bed to add texture and dimension. Dining Room- In the dining area, place a cream-colored rug underneath your dining table to define the space. This will not only protect your floors but also add softness underfoot while enjoying meals with family and friends. No matter which room you choose to decorate with cream-colored rugs, remember that lighting is key! Make sure there is ample natural light or use strategically placed lamps to highlight the beauty of these rugs. So go ahead and bring some warmth and style into your home with cream-colored rugs - they're truly timeless! The Benefits Of Cream-Colored Rugs Cream-colored rugs offer a plethora of benefits that make them an ideal addition to any home decor. One of the main advantages of these rugs is their versatility. Due to their neutral color, cream rugs can seamlessly blend with various interior styles and color schemes. Adds Calmness: One benefit of cream-colored rugs is that they create a sense of calmness and serenity in a space. The soft and light tones help to create a soothing atmosphere, making them perfect for bedrooms or living rooms where relaxation is key. Hides Dirts and Stains: Cream-colored rugs also have practical benefits. They are great at hiding dirt and stains, making them easy to maintain and keep clean. Additionally, they offer warmth and comfort underfoot, especially during colder months. The benefits of incorporating cream-colored rugs into your home decor are numerous - from their versatility in complementing any style to creating a serene ambience while providing practicality in terms of maintenance and visual expansion of smaller spaces Conclusion Cream-colored rugs offer a versatile and timeless addition to any home decor. Whether you're looking to create a cozy atmosphere in your living room or bring warmth and comfort to your bedroom, cream-colored rugs are the perfect choice. With their neutral hue, they effortlessly blend with various color schemes and design styles. From plush shaggy rugs to elegant Oriental patterns, there is a wide range of options available for every taste and preference. Read Also: Mirrors For Sale – Finding a Perfect Home Decorative Item How to cut down your home decor costs? Read here  

READ MOREDetails