Finding a good home to buy or rent is always a difficult undertaking, especially when you're moving to London. If you don't know a particular area it can be next to impossible to judge what it's really like and any potential issues with your new conurbation. There are, of course, a number of websites designed to help you get an overview of a particular town or area, but these are only so good and will give something of a sanitised version of the real truth. So how do you find the perfect new abode and how do you choose between competing areas?
The first step is to make a wish list of all your wants and needs in a new home, in order of priority. Then, working from the bottom, cross off any that you would be prepared to compromise on until you're left with no more than four. The discipline involved in the exercise will help you identify what you really consider important and separate it from those things that you would merely like. We often have unrealistic expectations when it comes to a new home and although you should never be prepared to compromise on those things that are vital to you, by narrowing down and defining them it will be a lot easier to find a nice home. Of course, you may well find that many of the items that you had crossed off your list are still part of a potential new home you might be looking at, but having some flexibility will help you to find that home in the first place and give it a chance.
There is no real substitute for talking to your potential new neighbours to get a feeling for the place. This might not always seem practical and it certainly does require a level of courage that few of us are practiced at using especially in a large city. However, it really is the bet way to get to know a location and even if you aren't able to talk to your immediate neighbours, you may well find people in the local vicinity that can shed some light on the experience of living in a certain area. The older generation are usually more willing to engage in conversation and tend to have more time, too. If you really are stumped for people to talk to, why not track down the local beat officer and get talking to him or her. After all, there are few people more informed about any problems with an area than the local policeman.
The first step is to make a wish list of all your wants and needs in a new home, in order of priority. Then, working from the bottom, cross off any that you would be prepared to compromise on until you're left with no more than four. The discipline involved in the exercise will help you identify what you really consider important and separate it from those things that you would merely like. We often have unrealistic expectations when it comes to a new home and although you should never be prepared to compromise on those things that are vital to you, by narrowing down and defining them it will be a lot easier to find a nice home. Of course, you may well find that many of the items that you had crossed off your list are still part of a potential new home you might be looking at, but having some flexibility will help you to find that home in the first place and give it a chance.
There is no real substitute for talking to your potential new neighbours to get a feeling for the place. This might not always seem practical and it certainly does require a level of courage that few of us are practiced at using especially in a large city. However, it really is the bet way to get to know a location and even if you aren't able to talk to your immediate neighbours, you may well find people in the local vicinity that can shed some light on the experience of living in a certain area. The older generation are usually more willing to engage in conversation and tend to have more time, too. If you really are stumped for people to talk to, why not track down the local beat officer and get talking to him or her. After all, there are few people more informed about any problems with an area than the local policeman.
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