How Much Does Location Matter When Buying a House?
If you found your dream house but didn’t love the location, would you still buy it?
The reality is, location matters when it comes to buying a house. And ultimately, if you don’t love where a house is, you might end up not loving the house either.
Here are 6 things to take into consideration about your potential new location when home buying.
1. Schools
If you’re a parent, this may feel fairly obvious, but even if you’re not a parent, schools are important. Schools can affect property rates and resale values in a neighborhood. When looking at location, be sure to consider what school district that house is in. Look at schools from elementary school through high school to make sure these meet your standards. If you aren’t sure if an Oklahoma school is up to par or not, you can check out its rating here.
2. Neighborhood Amenities
Secondly, do your research when it comes to neighborhood amenities. If you love the outdoors and being active, a neighborhood with walking trails and green belts may be appealing. If you have young kids, consider looking for a neighborhood with a splash pad or parks that they can play. Keep in mind, neighborhood amenities can affect HOA rates so be sure to be informed about those ahead of time as well.
3. Proximity to Important Places
When it comes to house location, it’s important you are within decent driving distance of places you frequent. How close is this house to your workplace? Your church? Your favorite grocery store? Or your family’s house? All of this and more matters. Make sure that you fall in love with a houes for its location as well as its amenities. Long commutes can get old really fast!
4. Costs
Next, it’s important to take neighborhood costs into consideration. Expenses like HOA fees, utility bills, and general cost of living can vary from house to house and neighborhood to neighborhood. Do your research ahead of time and set a budget for yourself. This can help you to have more realistic expectations about the neighborhoods that you look at.
5. Lot Size
If you’ve always dreamed of owning land, don’t settle for a house packed in the middle of the city (no matter how much you think you love the house). Lot size should play a large factor in your home-buying decision. A large lot offers more privacy and space, but could also require more upkeep. On the other side, a smaller lot might be easier to maintain, but you also may share close fencelines with your neighbors.
6. Crime
Lastly, consider the crime rate of an area before falling in love with a house within it. One of the best resources is this site which will inform you of the crime rates of each neighborhood. You could also simply walk through the area and get a feel for how safe you feel. Ask the neighbors about their experiences and check local police reports if you want to really be sure.
Next Steps
As a Realtor, it’s my job to not only find you an amazing house, but to find you an amazing house in an amazing location. I’m familiar with most of the OKC surrounding areas and would love to help point you in the right direction. Reach out anytime at traceyrice@kw.com or 405-226-3770.