9 Things need to Know When Moving to a New Neighborhood

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

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.

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:

Content Rally

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

How to Harvest Lettuce: A Step-by-Step Guide for Fresh and Crispy Salads

Since lettuce plants grow best in cool growing seasons, most lettuce varieties are classified as spring or fall greens. However, if the longer days are keeping your lettuce plant producing leaves well into the summer and it hasn't bolted yet, here are some excellent tips to follow to maximize your harvest. Taking individual leaves off the plant is one way to increase its yield. Alternatively, you could sow in succession every two weeks in the early spring or fall to continue the harvest. To offer lettuces shade and protection from the hot summer sun and high temperatures, a third method is to interplant with a taller crop. Lastly, cultivators should seek out cultivars known for their slow bolting, like the looseleaf varieties "Slobolt" and "Sierra." Here is how to harvest lettuce so you can eat some leaves right away and encourage the plant to continue growing more. How To Harvest Lettuce? If you want to harvest lettuce and do not know how to go about it, here are all the details. Follow the steps closely to get the healthiest and crispiest lettuce for your salads and sandwiches. Plant Looseleaf Varieties Your lettuce variety should be ready to harvest in 35 days, according to the seed packet, which means you should have large enough leaves to pick a little more than a month after planting. By regularly picking the outer leaves, you may be able to extend the harvest until late June if you sow seeds in March or April. Begin Harvesting Early in The Season Young lettuce plants will be harmed by light frost, but mature plants can withstand it. If you live in an area where there is no winter frost, you can plant early and begin harvesting the outer leaves when they get to be 4 or 6 inches long. Your harvest can last up to 30 days longer if you plant and harvest early. Pick Lettuce in The Morning It is ideal to harvest lettuce early in the day to avoid the leaves wilting due to the intense heat. The leaves are crispest and flavorful in the morning because they contain the most water. Look For Plants with Large Outer Leaves The center of the crown is where the new growth starts on the lettuce. You must remove the largest, oldest leaves that are about 4-6 inches long. You will find these leaves on the outside of the plant. Cut or Pinch The Outer Leaves At 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the base, pinch off each outer leaf. To break the leaf off the crown, apply just enough pressure with your thumb and forefinger. Another option is to use a sterile, sharp scissor or snipping tool, though there is disagreement about whether doing so accelerates the browning of cut edges. Harvest Until it Flowers When older, mature leaves are consistently removed, the lettuce plant is encouraged to grow new leaves in their place. Harvesting individual leaves is possible until the plant produces a flower stalk, which indicates that it is ready to bolt and set seed. Lettuce turns bitter once it bolts. When to Harvest Lettuce? As soon as the lettuce is large enough to pick, it can be harvested. A seed packet will typically tell you how many days it will take to harvest. For the "cut and come again" method of harvesting loose leaves, standard-size varieties are the most effective. When outer leaves are 4 to 6 inches tall, that's the best time to begin harvesting. There are many varieties of lettuce seeds available, including blends and mesclun mixes. The best varieties to plant for a continuous harvest are called bi-colored, spotted, or loose-leaf lettuces in green and red or burgundy tones. The following are some varieties you might want to try: Black Seeded Simpson Green Salad Bowl Freckles Lolla Rossa Gourmet Mesclun Blend Deer Tongue Garden Leaf Blend Loose leaf lettuce varieties yield the best results from the cut-and-come-again method. Red, green, and oak leaf lettuce are a few examples. Additionally, you can wait to pick until a full head has matured or harvest early leaves from loose-heading varieties like butterhead and romaine. When and How to Gather Lettuce Heads The growth habit of head lettuce is akin to that of cabbage. In order to form a dense, rounded, or clumped shape, younger leaves emerge from the center, and older leaves form layers. There are two types of head lettuce: loosehead (similar to romaine) and crisphead (like iceberg). Let the crisphead varieties mature for a single harvest and keep an eye on them in accordance with the days to harvest specified on the seed packet. When the heads are dense and the appropriate size, they are ready to be picked. If you remove the outer leaves once or twice, loosehead lettuces will still head. However, the size of the fully mature head may decrease as a result. These lettuces can produce a head of looser layering or wrapping leaves (butterhead) or a clump of tall, straight leaves (romaine). Remove crispheads by chopping off the stem just below the center. Loose heads can be trimmed similarly or removed, with roots and subterranean stems cut back to the leaf base, depending on size. What Happens If a Flower Stalk Bolts A lettuce plant will eventually shoot up a flower stalk in the center, a sign that it has reached the end of its life and is ready to bolt, or bloom, and set seed. Though they might still be edible, the lettuce leaves are starting to get tough and bitter. There is no stopping flowering once this process has begun. Throw away the plant and plant again if the weather permits. Types of Lettuce There are four types of lettuce you can choose from when choosing which to grow: leaf, butterhead (loosehead), romaine, and head lettuce. When it comes to cultivation and harvesting, the main distinction is that leaf lettuce crops yield several harvests, whereas head lettuce varieties, such as iceberg, romaine, and butterhead, only yield one harvest. Leaf lettuces are, therefore, a favorite among home gardeners since you can grow them in raised beds, on the ground, or in patio containers. Keep in mind that lettuce is a cool-season crop, so you should schedule your harvest for the spring when the temperature is still cool. Such temperatures are usually around 70 degrees. Find out when the first frost occurs in your area each fall and plant appropriately. Starting fall crops from seed indoors and moving them outside as the weather cools down may be the best option. Seek out head lettuce cultivars such as Crisphead and Iceberg that you can grow from seed. In roughly six weeks, the lettuce will reach maturity and be ready for harvest after the seeds have germinated in 10 to 21 days. One loose butterhead variety that you can grow from seed or seed tape is called Buttercrunch. It takes 65 days to be ready for harvest. Vivian is one of the romaine varieties that yields soft, flavorful leaves. Directly sow seeds in the garden in the spring. Start seeds indoors in the fall and transplant them to your garden. Varieties of loose-leaf lettuce grow quickly and are enjoyable to experiment with in salads, sandwiches, and other culinary creations. Look for mesclun mixes and heirloom cultivars such as "Black Seeded Simpson." Many come in simple-to-grow seed tapes that can be harvested in roughly seven weeks. How to Harvest Leaf Lettuce? When the weather gets chilly, you can harvest salad from a leaf lettuce crop in your home garden whenever you're ready to eat. You can harvest an entire crop of lettuce at once by waiting for it to mature. However, cutting fresh lettuce leaves off as they grow is the easiest way to prepare them for consumption at any time. Depending on the variety, lettuce leaves should be harvested when they reach a length of 3 to 6 inches. Gather leaves continuously until the lettuce plant "bolts." This indicates that the plant has focused its energy on developing seeds and flowers, and as a result, the leaves typically develop tough stems and a bitter taste. How to Harvest a Full Head of Lettuce? A lettuce plant can continue to grow until it produces a full head of leaves. Use the "one and done" approach when harvesting head lettuce. Just make a clean, above-soil knife cut across the entire head of lettuce at the base of the plant. For this, a harvest knife comes in handy. Remember the seed packet and note the maturity or harvesting days. As your plants get bigger, keep an eye out for indicators of maturity, which are typically firm, full heads. Harvest in the spring before it gets too hot, usually when the daytime highs hit 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The bitter taste of the leaves and the mushy head of lettuce can result from warm weather. How to Store Lettuce? When the lettuce is inside, you can use a colander to wash the leaves and thick cotton towels to dry them so you can use them in salads and sandwiches. In case you cultivate a lot of lettuce, investing in a salad spinner would be wise. It helps dry and wash Lettuce quickly. Lettuce leaves without water should be refrigerated. For most greens, store the leaves in a loose plastic bag for approximately a week. When the salad greens are ready to be eaten, give them a good rinse in several runs of cold water and then pat dry. How to Harvest Lettuce Microgreens? Microgreens are incredibly simple to harvest! When the first true leaves appear, after ten to fifteen days of planting the seeds, they will be ready. When the microgreens are two to three inches long, harvest them if you are measuring them by height. Investigating the flavor profiles of the microgreens at various heights is enjoyable. Cut the entire plant ½ inch above the soil line with a pair of scissors or grass shears. If you need more inspiration, check out our many other interesting gardening tips for growing microgreens, like growing lettuce microgreens! How to Harvest Romaine Lettuce? The leaves of romaine lettuce (also known as cos) have the perfect amount of crunch or crispness. The lettuce plant's outer leaves can be harvested as it grows. The leaves can be chopped off one to two inches above the ground. Gathering these tender green leaves now will give the lettuce more time to ripen before full plants can be harvested. Before Romaine lettuce reaches maturity, it can take 55–70 days to grow from seed. To determine when the lettuce is ripe, examine it directly. When the romaine lettuce leaves are 6 to 8 inches tall, the ribs are firm and juicy, and the leaves have formed a tightly compacted head, the lettuce is ready for harvesting. To test if the lettuce head is firm, squeeze it. Overripe head lettuce will be tough, while young head lettuce will be soft. Harvest by making a cut an inch above the ground, saving the crown for a subsequent harvest. You can harvest the lettuce head by digging up the entire plant if it is nearing the end of its garden lifespan. Read More: Everything You Need To Know About Harvesting Basil! Loose Leaf lettuce The harvest window for leaf lettuce varieties is quite broad. After planting, the young, baby lettuce leaves can be harvested 25 days later, and the plant will mature fully in 50–60 days. Make sure your crop is harvested prior to it bolting. Since you can harvest loose-leaf lettuce more than once during the growing season, it's ideal for repeated harvesting. You can chop the entire lettuce plant 1-2" above the soil line once the leaves reach 4". In 10 to 15 days, fresh leaves that have sprouted from the base will be ready for harvesting again if the crown is left intact. Try spreading out your seed sowings and doing multiple sowings to ensure a consistent harvest all season long. If you want to preserve the crisp flavor of the young baby greens, you should sow them again. Another method of harvesting involves leaving the inner leaves to grow while pruning the young leaves on the outside of the head for greens. When the plants are 4 inches tall, you can begin harvesting lettuce by cutting them just above the soil line. Crisphead Lettuce When grown locally, crisphead or iceberg lettuce makes for incredibly tasty salad greens. You might not get a whole head of lettuce, but this can be a cut-and-come-again harvest. A single harvest is more appropriate for this green lettuce. After planting, there is a 50 to 75-day window for harvest. Iceberg lettuce can be harvested as soon as the head appears before the outer leaves turn brown and as soon as the center feels firm, and the leaves are compacted tightly. Before the crisp lettuce starts to open and the seed stalk starts to form, harvest it. More importantly, if you see the lettuce beginning to bolt—a common issue in hot weather—or the seed stalk, harvest it right away. Harvesting iceberg lettuce is best done by digging up the entire plant and then cutting off the stalk. Because of its thick stem, this lettuce plant can be challenging to harvest while it is still in the ground. If you decide to harvest the lettuce while it's still in the ground, please take care not to harm it. You can cut the stem just below the leaves by lifting the lettuce upwards. Wrapping Up Nothing compares to the sheer satisfaction of harvesting and regrowing fresh, new lettuce from the same plant. You are far superior to other lettuce owners if you can figure out how to harvest lettuce correctly so that it keeps growing. Thus, if you want to become a rich lettuce farmer, make sure you constantly and meticulously follow all the above steps! If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask about how to harvest lettuce, then please leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you. Read Also: Some Facts You Need to Know About Rainwater Harvesting Asparagus 101: When, How, And How Often To Harvest? Exploring Ideas For A Biophilic Home Design

Leather Furniture is An Essential Improvement for Any Home or Office

Furniture is an essential improvement for any home or office. People also pay close attention to furniture because they look quite beautiful and awesome. In fact, just like any other home improvement accessories, furniture is also big as well as vitally important. In addition to the fact that you should get your work done when acquiring furniture, yet you should know about your financial plan too. Furniture should supplement the style of the room. In spite of mainstream thinking, cowhide furniture isn't only for the rich and well known; you can purchase quality leather furniture that is both moderate and excellent. This is the reason why Ekornes Stressless recliners are some of the most comfortable recliners in the world according to experts. The accompanying tips will enable you to settle on the best choice when purchasing that cowhide couch. Be an informed customer don't simply trust the furniture store owner! Know the Grade Before leather furniture is considered a specific review, it must meet certain benchmarks. Full-grain cowhide is viewed as the most alluring, as it's normal and to a great degree solid. Moreover, aniline full-grain leather isn't just characteristic, yet has additionally been colored completely through. Taken from the external surface of the shroud, top grain leather is the following best thing in leather furniture. Despite the fact that the most reasonable, split-grain leather may wind up costing you more over the long haul; it blurs all the more effortlessly and is especially weaker, which makes it helpless against tearing. While full-grain cowhide may cost more in advance, you will spare cash later on due to its quality and dependability. Know the Finish - When it comes to purchasing leather furniture, it's vital that you see how cowhide is arranged and wrapped up. Most aniline leather furniture comprises of wrinkles, giving it a more characteristic look; no different colors or completes are connected to aniline cowhide with the exception of aniline color. Purchasers are careful: Manufacturers will in some cases place wrinkles in leather to give it a particular and exceptional appearance when it has really experienced broad preparing. Some leather furniture is covered with defensive completions to avoid scratches, stains, and blurring, which can make it solid. Know the Texture - The surface of cowhide furniture depends for the most part on the review. For instance, a top of the line cowhide couch is delicate, while a less expensive leather couch is substantially stiffer. When buying leather furniture, it's critical to mull over a few variables, including how much utilize it will get. As such, would you say you are purchasing a leather couch for your formal lounge room, or would you say you will put it in your family room, where it will get normal wear and tear? If the last mentioned, you might need to consider acquiring higher quality leather that will keep going for a long time to come. Know Your Budget - It's anything but difficult to get 'leather glad' when looking for cowhide furniture. Be that as it may, know your financial plan and stick to it. On the off chance that you need first-rate leather, at that point consider leaving the leather rocker off your list of things to get; rather, purchase a leather couch that is of most extreme quality. Toning it down would be best, notwithstanding when purchasing cowhide furniture. Try not to get overpowered it ought to be an energizing buy. If you want some special and attractive furniture, you can choose Wellington’s Fine Leather Furniture. It is one of the best choice as well as durable too. Read More : How To Choose Mattress For Overweight Person Different Kinds Of Toilets 5 Ways To Make A Big Statement In Small Bedroom

How to Properly Maintain Your Shower Pods

Shower pods are the best thing that has entered the London market in recent years. They're perfect for achieving that modern and sleek vibe, making your home look minimalist. Additionally, the pods make sure that your bathrooms stay clean, free from water spills and splashes from your energetic little ones. So, shower pods are very functional and quite handy to have around especially if you are starting a family. They allow you to have more time to spend for yourself since you won't need to clean up water puddles every few seconds. Proper maintenance is key to keeping your shower pods in tip-top shape. Here are two crucial things you should remember to make sure that your shower pods will still be in good condition even after a few years. Different Ways To Maintain The Shower Pods There are several factors that you have to consider while you want to maintain your shower pods in all possible manners. Work out the plans that can help you to achieve your goals in the best possible ways. 1. Mould prevention Any shower will eventually grow mould if not cleaned regularly. You should immediately remove mould to avoid health complications. In a mouldy environment, you may be more prone to coughing, sneezing, nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, wheezing, eye irritation, and skin irritation. It would also pose a serious risk to those who have mould allergies or lung illnesses. Mould loves to grow in moist environments, and that’s why even shower pods are vulnerable to it. To effectively clean mould, use a damp cloth to wipe every available surface you see in your shower pod. For stubborn ones, you need to make a DIY solution by mixing 1-part bleach and 1-part water. Spray the DIY solution onto the affected area and wait for at least 15-20 minutes. You can rinse the surface afterward. Repeat the process as necessary. To avoid mould from growing in the future, you should open at least one window in your bathroom. It will ensure that there will be proper ventilation and airflow to prevent humidity inside. 2. Glass cleaning All pods have shower glass which is what makes them famous in the home fixture market. The shower glass needs to be cleaned at least once a week to maintain its sheen and beautiful finish. The cause of this is the shampoo and soap deposits that stick to the shower door glass while you’re bathing. You need to clean your shower pod often. If you do it regularly, all deposits will be easily removed, and it won’t require too much of your time to clean it. Additionally, you need to drain all the water and dry the shower after use. It will significantly benefit you because there will be no accumulation of soap scum sticking to your glass. Sometimes, stubborn deposits won’t be easily removed. Apply a glass cleaner to ensure that the glass door is sparkly clean. Use a clean paper towel to apply the glass cleaner and spread the solution in a circular motion. Leave it to do its magic for a few minutes. You’ll see the beautiful result after rinsing it off. When you do these things, you can guarantee that your shower pod will last you a lifetime. Not to mention you can better protect your family from unwanted diseases and other health problems. Final Words Hence, these are some of the factors that you have to take care of while you want to maintain your shower pods in all the possible manners. Do not make your choices in grey while you want to improve the arrangements of the shower pods. Shower pods can make things work in your favor if you select the best one for yourself. Do not make your choices in the wrong direction in all possible manners. Read Also : Bathroom Remodeling Tips And Ideas Bathroom Upgrades You Should Consider Mirror Decorating Ideas To Style Your Bathroom

9 Things need to Know When Moving to a New Neighborhood

Question 1

Does the neighborhood have sidewalks?

Reason

Question 2

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

Reason

Question 3

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

Reason

Question 4

Does the neighborhood provide you with convenience?

Reason

Question 5

What are your plans for the future?

Reason

Question 6

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

Reason

Question 7

What is the crime rate in the neighborhood?

Reason

Question 8

Are they good schools?

Reason

Question 9

What is the neighborhood culture?

Reason

Share this Article

Home Hacks: Stuff You Can Clean in One Hour or Less

How to Salvage Your Furniture after a Flood

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.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related