Moving to a better neighborhood in Metro Vancouver, BC or elsewhere in Canada can actually improve the quality of your life in terms of safety, convenience and recreational activities. But don’t hastily relocate to the cheapest residence available – there are many crucial factors to consider when choosing a new neighborhood, so take your time and weigh your options and wishes.
Determine What You Are Looking For
In order to avoid disappointment and severe mistakes when moving, you need to make it clear to yourself exactly what you want and precisely what you need from your future place of residence. Consider all the things that will help you feel safe, calm and happy:
– What surroundings lift your spirits?
Do you prefer a calm suburban Metro Vancouver area where you can enjoy a peaceful and quiet life in harmony with nature? Or are you an active person who needs to be in the very center of the chaotic big city life? Your future neighborhood has to reflect your lifestyle.
– Do distances bother you?
Do you intend to drive, to use the public transportation or to walk? If you own a car and find it really convenient to drive to your workplace, your child’s school, etc., mind the condition of the roads and the kind of traffic in your future Metro Vancouver neighborhood, as well as the available parking spaces. You may also want to consider the fact that the mass transit system often provides excellent and much easier (even much cheaper!) means of transportation, so benefit from buses and subway trains whenever possible. In any case, estimate the time required to reach your destination and decide if you are willing to commute daily. If not, just opt for a neighborhood within walking distance of all the places you need to visit on a routine basis.
– What kind of dwelling makes you feel at home?
Do you crave for a large house and a yard spacious enough for your children and/or pets to play at will? How about a garden with an enchanting fountain amidst blooming flowers and a fairy-tale gazebo beneath the trees? Or you’d rather live in a small cozy apartment that is easy to maintain? Different neighborhoods offer different housing possibilities, so choose the type that best suits your needs.
– What is best for your children?
Choose waht is best for your children.
Your children should be safe and happy in a friendly neighborhood.
If you have kids or plan to have a baby soon, you’d better make sure your chosen neighborhood will be an appropriate place to raise young ones. This roughly means a really safe community with plenty of green areas, good schools, a variety of sports and arts clubs, preferably a library and an amusement park in the vicinity… and just a bunch of several other strongly recommended facilities, such as day-care centers, large malls providing endless entertainment options, a good doctor and a 24-hour pharmacy in the area and so on. Piece of cake, indeed!
– Are you a traditionalist or a modernist?
This refers to the architecture styles and the type of activities your new neighborhood will have to offer, as well as to the standards and the overall spirit of the community.
– What is it that you don’t want in your neighborhood?
Avoid everything that makes you feel uneasy – be it a noisy bar down the street, a cheap liquor store that attracts too many suspicious customers or a dangerous crossroads. You want to be safe and comfortable in your new surroundings.
When you have completed the detailed image of your desired new neighborhood, it’s time to start looking for one that corresponds to your dream as closely as possible.
How To Find A Good Neighborhood
First, think of any restrictions for the location of your new home related to the nature of your job, any special medical needs, financial issues or others. Once you have eliminated the undesirable, unaffordable or inconvenient neighborhoods, undertake a careful research.
If you are performing a local move in Metro Vancouver, BC, the choice should prove to be easy enough. You will probably be acquainted with the reputation of the neighborhoods in nearby cities and the opportunities they offer or, if you are not, surely there will be a relative or a colleague or a friend who knows the place well. Just combine this information with the prices of the real estates and your personal preferences.
When it comes to unfamiliar cities, however, you need to know what to look for when choosing your new neighborhood. Gather all the information you can manage, compare all these factors and choose wisely:
- Crime and safety
- Business opportunities and prices
- Transportation
- Institutions
- Shopping centers and services
- Pleasant atmosphere (parks and gardens, cultural activities, attractions)
Explore Your Chosen Neighborhood
Once you have settled on a certain district that meets the above requirements and suits your personal needs and preferences, you are advised to explore it carefully before taking the final step.
Provided that you have enough time left before moving day, it is a good idea to observe the life in your chosen neighborhood. Try to get an idea what the community life there is like:
- Do people socialize a lot or do they prefer strict privacy?
- Can you feel a friendly and helpful attitude?
- Are the streets clean and well-lit?
- How is the traffic during the rush hour and where do people park?
- Are the bars and restaurants lively?
- Is there music to be heard late in the evening, or maybe disturbing noise of nearby factories?
- Are people jogging or walking their dogs in the morning or sitting on benches and laughing together in the afternoons, care-free?
- Can you see happy children playing outside?
Original source: https://www.mymovingreviews.com
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Metro Vancouver Moving: Choose A Good Neighborhood To Move To