Moving House?

The why, where and how of moving home

Location - choosing an area

When looking for your first home or moving house, one of the most important things for you to consider is your choice of location. So, one of the first things that you need to decide is what sort of area you want to live in or move to.

It's often far better to buy the worst house in a good area than a good house in a bad area; you're not just buying a house, you're buying into a whole area. Location is also important if you eventually wish to sell your home at some time in the future.

You should make a list of all the things that matter most to you. These might include quality of local schooling and having a good school within easy reach, good local transport links and having conveniently located shops or restaurants.

We have set out some information and useful links below to help you decide which location is right for you.

Why move?

There are many different reasons for moving to a new area. You may be starting a family, or want to have larger home or you may just want to be nearer to family and friends or need to move for work. Whatever your reason, moving home is usually a time of upheaval.

Local councils

Visit the local council website and the links below to find out more about different places before you decide. Local council websites often contain a lot of useful information about the local area, such as plans for new developments and transport links.

Find a local council

Your neighbourhood

You can visit the Office for National Statistics website to view local area statistics and maps on a wide range of subjects including population, crime, health and housing.

Neighbourhood statistics

Schools

The Office for Standards in Education's (Ofsted) website provides information on all local primary and secondary schools, and reports on nurseries, pupil referral units, special schools, independent schools and post-16 education providers in England.

OFSTED school information

Public transport

Visit the public transport information website to find rail, air, coach, bus, ferry, metro and tram information (including timetables and prices) within the UK, and also between the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe.

Public Transport information

Road transport

If you want to find out about the main road network and future road developments across England, visit the Highways Agency website.

Highways Agency

The environment

Use postcodes or place names to find out about the local environment, from pollution to flooding, with the Environment Agency.

Environment Agency local environment information

The countryside

Find out more about what the countryside and rural areas have to offer.

Countryside Agency
MAGIC geographic information for the countryside

Local newspapers

Another thing to do is to buy the local newspaper. Obviously you will want this for the property section, but you will also be able to find out about other issues; the local paper can give you a picture of the local community and what goes on and where and help you to find out about local shops, parks, entertainment and facilities for any of your hobbies, such as sport and the local fitness club.

If you don't know the name of the local paper in your chosen area, you can visit this website: http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/ and find out.

Summary

Here is a summary of the main factors to consider in choosing an area in which to live:

Distance to travel to work
Quality of local road network
Quality of schooling and distance to school if required
Quality and choice of local shops and restaurants
Public transport links (e.g. to visit friends or relatives)
Other important amenities (local parks, health clubs etc.)
Positive feelings about the neighbourhood

Final considerations

Finally, it's important to remember that if you buy a house in the location/area of your choice, all the above factors are also those which any potential buyer of your house will be considering. In effect, when looking at a property, you're not just thinking whether it will be good for you to live in now, you are also thinking about a future buyer. It may be that you like the house so much you don't care about the lack of certain amenities, but a future buyer may think differently.

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Selling a Property Our detailed breakdown of all the steps involved

Buying a Property Our detailed breakdown of all the steps involved

Moving House? Our full guides on why, where and how

Choosing your property The main factors to consider

Choosing a Mortgage The main factors to consider

How much can you afford? Lists the usual costs of moving

How can I find the best UK mortgage for my needs?

Finding a property How to find your next home

Overseas Mortgages Buying abroad? Some helpful tips

Why use a Mortgage Advisor? What do you get out of it?

Bad Credit Terms Help and understanding on Adverse Credit.