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In This Guide

Before you start

Choosing an area

   1. Choosing an area

   2. Transport

   3. Crime

   4. Amenities

   5. Landscape

   6. Neighbours

   7. Check it out

Homes needing work

My dream home

New homes

Offline search

Online search

Schools

Types of purchase

Viewing property

Country Guides

All Countries:

Choosing an area

Choosing an area

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Some people have a very clear idea of where they want to buy a house. They may be moving near to friends or relatives, buying a bigger or smaller home near to where they already live, or maybe moving to be close to work. This can be a blessing or a curse - a blessing if there are homes available in the area you are searching, a curse if there are not. Either way, it certainly removes one of the major early activities in the househunting process - deciding where you want to live.

For those that are able to be flexible, the right choice of area can make the difference between happiness and horror, so think carefully about what you want from an area and why. The more time you spend in defining where you want to live, the easier it will be to focus your search, especially if there are quite a few potentially suitable areas. If you are buying to let, there are a whole host of different factors you should consider.

Make a checklist of all the factors that are important to you and then try to prioritise them. Spend a little time researching how some different areas square up under your most important headings. Either follow the arrow at the foot of the page or haphazardly click the headings at the top and you should gradually build a picture of where you want to live.

You can also use the Move Services section of The Move Channel SiteFinder to find different websites that can help you understand more about the areas you are considering.

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