Love Your Location: 5 Tips for Finding the Perfect Neighbourhood When Buying an Apartment

Whether you’ve got your eye on luxury apartments for sale in Mermaid Beach or are looking for an inner-city condominium to call your own, location is one of the most important considerations. Choose wisely, and you could have everything you need at your doorstep, with great neighbors and plenty of room to grow.

Choose poorly, and you could face endless hurdles, including everything from safety issues and late-night noise to frustrating condo rules and poor public transport. 

Thankfully, with a bit of strategy and planning, you can avoid potential pitfalls and find the right apartment in your ideal neighborhood. The following five tips should help you in your quest:

1. Consider your lifestyle

Before you can find your perfect apartment, you need to be honest with yourself about what you really need and want. Think about what you like to do in your free time. Consider how close the neighborhood is to your work or school. Consider how much time you like to spend at home and whether you prefer a quiet or chaotic environment. 

Once you’re out there hunting for apartments, you’re going to find ones that meet some of your needs but conflict with others. So, you need to not only think about your needs and wants but get them down on paper. Ideally, you should organize them in order of priority so you can quickly identify whether an otherwise very tempting apartment is going to be more trouble than it’s worth. 

2. Research viable neighborhoods

Armed with your list of needs and preferences, you can start seeking out apartments and exploring their neighborhoods. Check out the nearby parks, restaurants, shops, and other amenities. Look for public transportation options in the area, and don’t forget to factor in seasonality. For example, during peak tourist season on the Gold Coast, a drive that normally takes you 10 minutes could take up to 40 minutes. You don’t want things like this to come as a shock once you’re locked into a contract. 

3. Create a shortlist and dive into the details

From the research you conducted in the last step, you should be able to whittle down your list of potential apartments to a few attractive neighborhoods. From here, you’ll want to dive further into the details, including crime rates and safety statistics. Check out the neighborhood’s walkability score, and map out your transport options.

4. Check out the neighborhood’s schools

Even if you don’t have kids and don’t plan to have any in the future, it’s helpful to consider the quality of the schools in the area. Good schools are positively correlated with high property values, so this is particularly important if you’re buying your apartment. Buy in a neighborhood with a great local school system, and you’re far more likely to get a good price if and when you sell your apartment in the future. Of course, this single metric is no guarantee – it’s just one of many factors you should check. 

5. Talk to the locals

Whether you’re buying or leasing, you’re making a long-term commitment by moving into an apartment, so it’s crucial to know what you’re walking into. Locals can fill you in on any issues in the neighborhood or apartment building. They can also put your mind at ease about things like safety and noise levels. They’ll likely also have great recommendations for local restaurants and other amenities, so never be shy about approaching them for their views.

Follow the tips above, and you’ll be on your way to finding the apartment of your dreams.