Why location is important - and how to choose the right area

Posted on September 30, 2021

As property power couple Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsop will tell you, purchasing a home or business premises is all about location, location, location. Whilst the property itself is pretty important, all homes have the scope to change and upgrade the features that you don’t like. In fact, whether they’re purely aesthetic or structural, there’s always room for improvement.

The area in which a property is based however is non-negotiable, a fact that makes picking the right spot crucial.

As an independent estate agency based in Sunderland, we’ve helped property buyers find the perfect places for them for over 12 years. Here our experts share their top tips for choosing the right area.

Always visit in person

Visiting your shortlisted location in person is a must. Even if you’ve visited the area before, chances are you didn’t look closely at the finer details that could make this location the perfect (or not-so-perfect) place to live.

Visit the area not once but on multiple occasions at different times of the day and on different days of the week to get a fuller, clearer picture of the location. Visiting at weekends and peak times (such as during rush hour) can be dramatically different to visiting midweek in the middle of the day.

Chat to the neighbours

Talking to the people who could potentially become your neighbours will provide a valuable insight into the area. You’ll get real, unbiased opinions from the people who live there, so don’t be shy, ask those key questions.

Take your research online

The World Wide Web provides so much useful information, particularly when it comes to crime statistics and local amenities, such as shops, banks, pubs and restaurants, GPs, dentists, schools and recreational facilities. After the lowdown on the latter, you can then hit the streets with this knowledge to see what ‘within walking distance’ really means!

Travel links should also be researched online and explored in person, the results could make all the difference to that daily commute.

Look to the future

If you’re purchasing your first property, chances are this will be your home for the long term. Whilst you don’t have a crystal ball to see how the area will change in the weeks, months and years after purchase, you can search for planned changes to the area via the local authority’s website.

You can also find out more about Council Tax charges that could push your monthly expenses up.

Find your perfect property in your ideal location by starting your search with us today.