The number one rule when it comes to buying a property is to look for a good location. It is okay not to have the balcony or swimming pool you have always dreamed of, but one thing you should never compromise is where you will live.
You can always renovate your space, add more rooms or upgrade your floor area, but you will not easily change your address. That is why it is important to stick to a good location. But then again, what exactly makes a place “good”?
Accessibility
Your home should be located at a place that is easily reachable. For this reason, when visiting homes or condos, see if there are public transportation systems nearby. Better yet, check out if there are commercial establishments close to your target home.
If you have a family, a school nearby is your priority. If you are a young professional, offices or co-working spaces within reach are the places you should be on the lookout for. With roads getting all the more congested every day in the Philippines, it is not an option but a necessity to be close to such spaces.
Consider checking out this condo for sale in Manila, Philippines, a home that is right at the metro and thus, highly accessible.
Safety
A house becomes a home because you feel safe in it. The thing about safety is it is created not just by being surrounded by family members, but also by being at the right location. So, look into the latest crime rates in the community you are moving into. Visit the property you are targeting at different times of the day, if possible. It is especially crucial to check it out at night.
See if there are kids roaming around the community. If there are, it is a good sign that parents have some sense of security in their place. Make sure also that patrols are monitoring the area now and then. In condo complexes, aside from the guards having scheduled rounds, there are 24/7 security cameras all over the place, which then adds a layer of protection for residents.
Community
Ultimately, the people in your neighborhood will determine if a location is good because admit it or not, the “who” in the community influences what you feel at your own place. If you feel welcome, you are more likely to stay in the long run. If you perceive that you share the same beliefs with your next-door neighbor, you feel a lot safer.
So, as you visit homes, talk to your future neighbors. Smile at them. See how they would respond. These would give you clues as to what kind of community exactly you are going to belong to.
Again, the mantra in buying a home is location, location, location. Beyond seeing what is inside homes, look at what is outside: the accessibility, the sense of safety and the kind of neighbors in the community. From here, you will know if you are standing at a good location.
