Finding the right neighbourhood

Choosing the right neighbourhood or location is as important as the apartment or home you live in. Your community or neighbourhood impacts significantly on your lifestyle by virtue of its proximity to work, school, transportation, shopping and recreation, along with family and friends.

Living in a dynamic urban setting that’s dominated by students and young professionals, within walking distance of the subway, community centre, great restaurants, shops and entertainment offers the opportunity for a different lifestyle than a quiet suburban setting where you might have more need for a car to get around, and find a high concentration of families and retirees. Before you begin to search for an apartment, it’s a good idea to establish what kind of neighbourhood you would best enjoy living in and what kind of lifestyle best suits your needs.

Start with a good map of the general area – either printed or virtual – and make a list of potential neighbourhoods in which you could consider searching.You may want to be near the nightlife. You may want to be near the financial centre. You may want to choose an area based on specific places of worship or cultural offerings. If you have friends, relatives or co-workers who live in a particular area ask them what they like about the area they are living in; this will help you decide if it’s right for you.

If you are moving to begin a new job, your employer may be able to collect information on your behalf. Prime locations, especially those near public transit or major highways often cost more but offer many advantages, such as reduced commuting time.

Research potential neighbourhoods. YPNextHome has neighbourhood profiles that will give you some background about the special character and features of a neighbourhood you might want to consider. Prepare a list of locations that best match your personal needs and then add secondary locations that you would also consider.

When evaluating a prospective neighbourhood the most important factors to consider are:

• Safety. How safe is the neighbourhood?
• Access to public transportation and major highways
• Distance to work or school and travel time either by car or public transportation
• If you have children, where would they attend school? Take some time to carefully research the schools in the neighbourhood. What parks and play areas are nearby?
• If you require day care, what facilities are available?
• How is the traffic in the area?
• How is the grocery shopping and other necessary services such as banks, post office, dry cleaners, pharmacy, cinema and restaurants?
• What kind of recreation facilities are available in the neighbourhood? Where is the nearest branch of the public library and community centre, if these are important to you?
• How do the noise levels vary at different times of the day and would this be a factor in your decision?
• If you are a walker or if you have a dog, is the neighbourhood accessible to scenic walking trails, off-leash areas or greenspace?
• If you have health issues and need to be close to a medical clinic or hospital, is the facility close by?
• What is the general ambience of the area? Is the apartment in a primarily residential or commercial district?
• If you need to be close to an older parent or relative, this may also impact on your decision.

If you are looking to relocate to another city or province due to work or school, YPNextHome.ca provides listings as well as information about the general real estate climate in any given area. You can search by province, city or neighbourhood. Many listings include photographs, descriptions, links to floorplans and even virtual tours. Narrowing your search down to two or three neighbourhoods at the beginning will help simplify the process.