Choosing a neighborhood when making a household move is a big decision. Especially if you have children, the community where you live will affect everything from the school they attend to the children they may choose to be friends with.
Finding a neighborhood with the right services and convenient features can help your family find happiness in their new home. Here are some tips for finding the ideal home if you’re looking for a new residence.
Sidewalks and Walkability
Kids need a safe way to walk throughout their neighborhood. Sidewalks give children independence from their parents, making it safe (once they reach a certain age) for them to walk to school, their friends’ houses, and other parts of the neighborhood.
To find a neighborhood where your kids can walk safely, pay attention to the presence of sidewalks when you’re looking at houses. The best sidewalks are wide and easy to traverse, free from damage by tree roots.
You can also check a neighborhood’s walkability by looking up its walk score. A community’s walk score will tell you whether the area you’re considering has good access to public transportation and how far that community is from essential services.
School District
What are the schools like in the community you’re considering? Find out which schools are highly ranked in the town or city you’re considering moving to. Knowing the quality of the schools will help you determine whether the neighborhood you’re viewing will be a good fit for your kids.
Remember that many online websites are dedicated to helping parents find the best schools in the city where they live. Looking up the reviews from parents and people who work at each school can help you make a decision that you and your kids will be happy with for years to come.
Access to Services and Amenities
When you have kids, many services and amenities can come in handy. For example, it might be vital for you to be close to the doctor, dentist, hair stylist, community sports and recreation organizations, and more.
This is especially important if your children are involved in sports and other activities that can take up much of your time. You will only want to spend a little bit of time on the road for essential services if you’re already running your kids around after school to various events. Finding a centrally located home might be ideal for you.
Presence of Other Children
Often, children like to be around other kids. They need friends for their personal happiness and social development.
To help your child find friends in their new neighborhood, choose a location where many other children live. While it’s not always easy to tell if an area has many children, look for clues like toys in the driveway or scattered around the yard, a basketball hoop in the driveway, kid-sized bikes in the front yard, local playgrounds, park district offerings, and so on.
Prepare For Your Upcoming Relocation
Make your upcoming relocation a positive event for everyone in the family. Hire professional movers to pack your items and safely get them to your new home. Contact us today to get started.