What to keep in mind when choosing a new community

You’re ready to take the next step and build your own home. You know the saying: location, location, location. How do you go about finding the perfect spot to break ground on? There are so many different options and variables you need to think of prior to buying and building: what’s important to you; are you a young professional that wants a trendy apartment downtown; or are you starting a family who needs a backyard and a park close by? When starting the search for your new community, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Who is the target market of the community? Who lives there already? Take a look at demographics to find out if it’s a younger crowd or perhaps a more mature group. If you have kids, you probably want a neighbourhood with other kids and schools close by; however, if you’re looking for something quieter to settle down in, maybe a more mature neighbourhood is best for you.
• What facilities and amenities does it have? Are greenspaces and walking paths important to you? Take a look at the community plan to make sure it has what you need. Planners will have everything laid out well in advance so you can find out what schools, recreation facilities and stores will be put into the area.
• How far is the new community from work, family and friends? Take some time to figure out what your commute times will be to make sure they aren’t too much. The last thing you want is to end up spending too much time in your car going to and from work every day. If your family babysits for you while you’re at work, how convenient is it for them to drop your kids off? It’s best to find all this out ahead of time so you aren’t stuck with a difficult commute.
• Talk to the people who live there and find out what they have to say about it. You can get a general idea of any neighbourhood by walking around it, but nothing beats an actual resident’s opinion. Find out if the street you’re looking at is actually quiet or if it gets busy during rush hour, or if the nearby shops have good prices.
• What are the long-term plans for the area? Is the lot you’re looking at backing onto a large green space with a mountain view? That’s perfect for now but take a look at long-term plans to ensure that the space isn’t earmarked for a condo complex or commercial centre.

Building in a new area can be scary, but it’s also exciting. Stay on top of new developments and do your homework before breaking ground on a new home. If you keep these small things in mind when going to check out a developing community, you’ll be moving into your dream home in no time.