You’ve heard it a hundred times, Location, Location; Location is important when choosing a home. That’s not always the top reason for choosing where to buy a home. Sure your home is an investment, but it’s also where you and your family will be living your life.

Choosing a community is a big part of buying a home. A location that meets all of your family needs is going to be the place you’ll want to stay for a long time.

Why is living in the right place so important?

You live in a home, but your life happens around your home too. Both are important to us living our best lives.  You’ll want a place that looks good as you drive down the street, has the amenities near by that your family will need.  In an environment that feels welcoming.

What advice do we give to find the right neighbourhood?

First, create a wish list of what you would like in your home to have. What kind of place are you looking for, taking into consideration where you are in your life—have kids, going to have kids, retiree. Ask yourself what is your current home lacking that you wish you had.

Second wish list should consider what your lifestyle is like. Do you like to go for walks, cultural offerings, experiences you want to have, shopping, schools you want to consider for your kids.  This is your life and how you want to live it. Is the commuting time important to you? Do you prefer bigger shops to get your groceries or is supporting the smaller local stores more important to you?

Next, go visit a few neighbourhoods. Take a drive out there and see if the community is family oriented and you see them also go for walks with their families on a nice day. Are the parks kept up and safe for your kids? How busy are the streets during business hours or in the evening. Find out if your on a bus route (you may not want buses going up and down your street), is there a train running near your home, smell the air (there may be an industry or a farm near you), is there a neighbourhood association and how active are they.

Remember though that visiting a neighbourhood is like being on vacation. It will only give you a glimpse of what it’s like to live there. Go back to your wish list and refer to that and the experience of your Real Estate Representative. If they know the neighbourhood, they can tell you what others say about it. Your agent has other properties to show you so they are not going to recommend an area just to make a sale.

Other Questions to Ask Are:

Do I prefer a newly developed neighbourhood or one that is a bit more established?
What type of home am I looking for? Single family, condo, semi-detached?
Does the area need a dog park? If you’re living in a condo and have a dog then this might be important.

Irene Bilinski knows the neighbourhoods in Ottawa, Orleans and surrounding area’s. She will be more than happy to help you search for the best neighbourhood for the life you want to have. Call Irene at (613) 858-1151 and let her help you.