Most people spend more of their monthly budget on their home than anything else. Yet, we tend to put up with so much that drives us nuts in our current home and neighborhood and it doesn’t help us solve the real problems we all grapple with everyday.
If you’ve been keeping tabs on the economy, you know now is probably the best time in recent memory to pull the trigger on moving for a variety of reasons including low interest rates and a real estate market that’s getting better by the day.
Now all you have to do is make a good decision about your next home while taking into consideration what’s most important to you.
Photo credit: Daybreak
That list of important things is a little bit different for everyone, but based on what most consumers we talked to have said, here are a few things you may want to add to your list if they are not already on there.
Neighborhood schools
If you have school age children this is a no-brainer, but even if you don’t, most realtors will tell you that living in the boundaries of the best schools is great for resale value.
In addition to academics, another consideration for today’s busy families is to understand if it’s safe and feasible for your children to walk to school in the neighborhood you are considering.
When children walk to school the health benefits for them and the found time for parents who don’t have to drive their children to school will pay dividends for years to come. Visit the neighborhood you are considering living in during the morning and afternoon hours and watch to see how many children are walking to school. You’ll get a pretty good idea about how safe it is. When lots of children walk to school together in a somewhat organized group, it’s known as a walking school bus that promotes safety and healthy social interaction.
Photo credit: Daybreak
Spaces designed for entertaining
Are you often the last one in your group of friends to volunteer to host the next dinner group or book club? If so, why is that? Maybe it’s because you’re a bad cook, but it might also have something to do with the way your house functions, the outdated finishes, or the view of your neighbor’s ham radio antenna from the back patio — not exactly great barbecue conversation.
Today’s new homes are thoughtfully designed from years of consumer feedback and a healthy dose of creativity that allow for better living spaces across a variety of budgets.
Photo credit: Daybreak
Stuff to do
If you’re a parent, have you ever tried to count how many times you hear the words “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do” during a given week? Probably not because it would just be frustrating.
Another important consideration in selecting a home is thinking beyond the four walls and the boundaries of the lot and taking a look at what the neighborhood around you can do for you. Where’s the closest park and can you send the children over there to blow off steam while you get dinner ready? Is there a good route for your morning run that offers something interesting to see along the way? Can you find out how social the neighborhood is and if there are traditions and activities where people get together as neighbors?
You’ll probably be leaving some of that behind when you leave your current place, so moving to a place that’s easy to get tied into the local scene can be a huge relief and a way to spread your wings a bit and meet new people.
Photo credit: Daybreak
Daybreak, is committed to providing residents with these three things, and we are opening a “new home mall” with 11 all new model homes along one street Saturday, June 27. Learn more.
