Sometimes when looking to buy a home, we can get wrapped up in price and features such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage. Here are four things you should consider other than price and features when purchasing a home.

#1: The neighbourhood.

This one can be tricky, especially with home flippers buying distressed homes, fixing them up, and relisting them as beautifully redone pristine homes. Hamilton I am looking at you – though this can happen in any city. You can find a beautiful home in a neighbourhood not suited to your lifestyle. Try taking a drive by in the evening or on the weekends. Get a feel for it. Also to this point, you do not want to be the most expensive house on the street. The value of the neighbouring houses will be increased because of yours, but yours will be affected by theirs as well, in a negative way.

#2: The commute

Google maps is an amazing tool to help you determine the drive time into work, but nothing would give you a better feel than trying It one morning. Explain to your employer that you are researching an area you are considering moving to and try the drive. Wake up extra early, drive to the neighbourhood in question, then drive to work. This will give you a good feel of what the commute would be like and ask yourself if you could do it every morning. I have seen many people say the commute is fine, until they try it one morning…

#3: Local amenities

This may sound silly, but having to get groceries, visit the pet store, get your dry cleaning, it all adds up. If there are certain amenities that you use frequently, see how close they are to where you are considering buying. This includes things such as a school for your children, a field to walk your dog, a gym, whatever is important to you.

#4: Proximity to industrial/commercial/response

If an industrial area drives through the neighbourhood, there may be several large delivery trucks making noise, damaging the streets, or just making the roads less comfortable to travel on. Check for proximity to railroad tracks as well. Side streets of commercial areas can fill up with overflow for parking on weekends and evenings. If there is a hospital or fire station nearby, consider how often will you see or hear sirens.

These are just four things you should consider outside of price and specifications of the home. This list does not include everything but it is meant to get you thinking outside the box. If you would like to discuss in more detail, please send me an email or give me a call. I look forward to hearing from you.