Research & 
Viewing
Thoughts before you look

Location - Location - Location
his web-site's origins were conceived in recognition of  this important subject and it is focused to help you know as much as possible about an area before deciding on your next move. Location is normally the single most important factor when considering moving, perhaps closely followed by the number of bedrooms required in your new home. Once these two priorities are satisfied usually other compromises may be made. Ideally your home should be in a location that does not give you cause for concern in any respect. It is especially important to try and avoid something detrimental becoming apparent which was not realised before moving in.

Obviously some properties are in more desirable places than others, which will nearly always be reflected in their price. For instance, if you really don't mind noise and are prepared to move somewhere on a main road, then make sure you are compensated by paying much less in the first place than for a comparable property in a quieter location. Be careful that something you might dismiss as unimportant at the outset, might eventually be a continuous source of irritation over a prolonged period of time. The biggest worries are not the obvious handicaps that may be easily seen, but ones that are less apparent and you may have to spend sometime (such as visiting the property several different times) in discovering the truth!

Tip - 'Out-of-sight' is not always 'out-of-mind', you have five senses and hearing and smell are equally as able to be offended as sight!  Noise levels are probably one of the greatest causes of stress to people, ideally therefore, noise should be avoided wherever possible in choosing your next home.

You may be considering a change in your lifestyle with your next move, many people wish perhaps that they could live in the country or near the seaside, but beware this may be an idealistic view with as many things against it as for it. When you are deciding where to move, apart from the type of lifestyle you would most like, think how important being near to friends and close members of the family is to you (perhaps especially important later in life). NB Some recent studies in the USA have shown that moving away from members of the family have been high on the list of reasons for moving - yes, you may smile, but apparently its true!! Often what you are most familiar with is the best alternative, but you may not always appreciate it so remember the saying 'the other's man's grass is always greener'!