Stop considering or comparing the suburbs for a while! Begin assessing your needs. Ask yourself a few simple questions that will define your quest.
What kind of lifestyle do you have? Do you rely on public transport or always drive your car? How much living space and square footage do you need? Where do you work? What are the needs of your family or are you living alone? The budget you can spare, the distance you wish to drive, the kind of amenities you need and the kind of person you are; all these would determine the right suburb for your investment.
Let us focus on the different realities so you can make up your mind.
- You need to focus on the amenities available in a suburb. Public transport, convenience stores, shopping centres, parks and recreation, schools, hospitals or healthcare facilities, presence of technicians and professionals including plumbers, roofers and more importantly doctors. These are the most important amenities that any family or even someone living alone would need.
- How safe is a suburb? You may have young kids; you may have elderly parents or you may be all by yourself. Every scenario has its own security challenges. You can take measures to secure your home but you cannot do much about the safety of a neighbourhood, community or the entire suburb. Even if a suburb is more affordable, don’t compromise on safety.
- You have to check out the kind of people that live in a suburb. Australia is a developed country with cosmopolitan cities. You may not like certain neighbourhoods, certain types of people or the kind of culture that a particular suburb has. You have the right to pick and choose a place that would make you more comfortable. You have to get a sense of the local community before you choose a suburb.
- You need to factor in the present condition of the suburb and the expected developments in the area. Some suburbs are densely populated but there may be no scope of development in the near future. Some suburbs are evolving and there could be fascinating developments in a few years.
- Finally, pick a suburb that makes you comfortable. You shouldn’t have to drive for hours to get to work. You shouldn’t be inconvenienced for the simplest of needs. Also, whether you are a social person or one who enjoys solitude, the kind of company you want and the kind of activity you wish to indulge in should also dictate your choice.
