There can be many reasons for one to uproot and move to a brand new area.
Whether that be that you have landed a new job that requires relocation, or you are studying away from home during term time or perhaps you are a young family and a particular area has better schools and more opportunity for your children.
Whatever your reasoning may be, sometimes moving to a new area can come with more baggage than you first expect; especially if your move involves small children or pets for example. But fear not - because our team here at Taylored Lets are going to share our top tips for being new to the neighbourhood…
Top Tips For Being New To The Neighbourhood
Visit the area
As you begin your search for your new home, you may have found a handful of homes that you can picture yourself in, right? But before you take the plunge and request a viewing, it’s probably best that you visit the new area first.
If your first visit consists of a potential rental viewing then chances are you are going into it with high expectations and a pressure to want to live there if you end up loving the property. The best thing is to go to the area BEFORE you find a property, therefore you are entering the new idea without any pre-made consumptions or biased decisions - and you are giving yourself a fair opportunity to decide whether the neighbourhood is for you or not.
Vet the area
Depending on your personal circumstance, the reason for your move and your requirements from a new home - while you are visiting the area for the first time you should also vet out the location. Consider the following:
Family Lets:
-
What schools are nearby?
-
What leisure centres / entertainment is nearby for your children to join / participate in?
-
What is the local crime rate like?
-
How many bedrooms does the property have?
-
Does it have a garden?
Professional Lets:
-
What is the commute like to and from work?
-
Are there useful transport links?
-
Do you mind who you share with?
-
Does more than one bathroom in the property matter?
-
What local amenities are nearby for you to enjoy / utilise your free time?
Student Lets:
-
What is the commute like to and from campus?
-
How much can you afford comfortably with your Student Loan?
-
What type of students do you want to share with?
-
What local amenities do you require nearby?
-
Are there enough transport links if you don’t drive / have a car?
Talk to locals
A simple way to find out whether the area is for you or if it may be one to miss is by talking to people! Speak to locals in the pub, shopping centre and of course your trusted Letting Agent. This is your opportunity to get your doubts or questions off your chest and ask those who know best!
Moving with children?
Children have a natural curiosity and wonder when they are in their younger years, which makes it easy to brand any life change into an exciting new adventure! Moving house can be stressful for the best of us, let alone your little ones! And if you happen to be uprooting them from the neighbourhood they have grown up thus far in - then it can be extra tricky.
They may have questions such as ‘will I be able to see my friends?’, ‘do I have to change schools?’, ‘will I like the new house?’ and as the parent or guardian - it’s your job to answer these questions and make the move as enjoyable, stress-free and comfortable as possible.
Our top tips for moving to a new area with your little ones are:
-
Create a story - Tell them why you are moving and accentuate all of the great things about the new area.
-
Plan a visit - It’s adventure time! Jump in the car and take them to visit the new area. Highlight the positives that you know they will love and show them their new home.
-
Take them to choose a new school - Highlight that this is an opportunity to make even more friends and visit spots that are popular for after-school activities to introduce new hobbies that they can join
-
Get them involved - One of the easiest ways to manage the transition of moving day with little ones is by involving them as much as possible. Let them pack their own belongings, label their own boxes (turn it into an arts and crafts session if it helps!), let them choose their new bedroom and help to choose finishing touches in the home for example; blankets, cushions, flowers etc.
-
Make the first night fun - Once you have moved in, reality will start to settle in when it comes to bedtime in the new home. Make the first night fun by cooking your children’s favourite for dinner, put their favourite TV show or film on, read them their favourite book before bed. Anything that you can do treasure the memory of their first move and to make the move as comfortable as possible.
Preparing your furry friend
Some rental properties allow tenants to have pets (but some don’t so ensure that you have the green light from your landlord before you decide on a property!) and a new move can be just as stressful for your four legged friend then it can be for you.
If possible, take your pet on a trip to the new home to get a smell and sense for the property. This will help to introduce your pet in a non-invasive way. Introduce them to your new neighbours, perhaps take along some delicious treats to hide so that they resemble each room with joy when they find them and take a toy to play with to keep the experience enjoyable for them.
Top tip: Don’t leave your pet home alone in the new house. Remember, they don’t necessarily understand the concept of WHY you have moved house, and if they don’t recognise the place or struggle to settle then they may become anxious that you have left them on their own.
Get In Touch
If you are moving to a new area and you have some questions that you would like to speak to our team about, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Give us a call on 0191 447 1718 or email us at info@taylored-lets.com.