Purchasing a home is often one of the biggest financial purchases you will ever undertake, the purchase becomes even more important and precious when it involves your family. As a buyer or seller, it is important to work with a qualified and experienced agent who has the ability to point you in the right direction and assist you in finding the best possible home for you and your family. Greeff agents are trained and have years of experience in finding the perfect home to meet each and every buyer’s needs.
Mike Greeff, CEO of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate offers his top four tips on how to navigate through what could appear, a difficult choice.
Location, Location, Location
There are several things to consider, such as where in the City the home is situated. If you are a parent with children, you need to consider proximity to public transport and how your children may make use of it as they grow up. Another thing to consider is safety. As one of the more important factors to take into consideration; search for a home in a suburb where crime remains low. Look at data on crime statistics, chat to residents, visit the local police station to get a direct feel for the area and its surrounds and make the effort to drive through the area at different times of the day as this will also allow for a more realistic feel.
Growth and Development
Moving to a suburb often requires you to take a thorough look at the market trends in the area to establish what properties sell for at different times of the year. In the future, should you as the owner decide to sell, your agent would provide you with access to comparative sales in the area to give you a clear comparison of what similar homes sell for as well as average pricing in the area.
Schools and Education
Purchasing a home is so much more than just that. While there are many things to consider, if you have growing children, school and education is arguably the most important. For young children, consider an area with access to appropriate primary institutions and creches. As your children grow older you will also need to ensure that the suburb you chose to live in is equipped with decent schools with secondary education options. Furthermore, access to extra mural activities as well as resource centres would be an added bonus at all stages of their education.
Proximity to family and friends
Moving to a new suburb may also mean having to move away from family and friends or perhaps moving closer. If this ideal is important to you, look for a suburb where a 10 to 20-minute drive to visit your parents, siblings and friends are possible. This is especially important when you have young children, as moving to a new suburb could mean saying goodbye to neighbourhood playmates. Choosing a new suburb not too far away means visiting family and friends will always remain convenient.
By using these four simple tips as guidelines, you as a buyer and with the help of your agent, will be better informed and equipped to make the smartest choice regarding the best suburban fit for your family.