Deciding on the place for you...

When buying or renting, finding the right area, neighbourhood, sometimes even the perfect street is hugely important. And deciding if an area is right for you usually
means considering a variety of factors.

With all of our years of experience in Bristol, we have some thoughts on what to look for when settling on the character, practicality and suitability of an area. Let's discuss some basics.

What are you looking for?

Whether moving for work, because of a growing family or looking to retire in a quieter, convenient location, it’s important to explore any and all potential neighbourhoods.

Are you looking for something with a slower pace of life? Or perhaps you’re moving for a fresh start and are in search of nearby bars and restaurants to keep you entertained!

Are you a commuter? Do you walk, cycle, drive or catch the train or bus to work? Do you have school-age children? then major research is likely to be required. What about parks and green spaces for walking your four-legged friend?

With so many factors to consider, how do you pin down the right area for you?

Make a priority list

You’d like to be within 20 minutes from your workplace, near a local shop and on a bus route to your kid’s school? Oh, and ideally, a park would be great – but let’s prioritise. 

Sit down and make a list, with the most important factors at the top. From the size of your kitchen to the size of your garden, you may need to start considering what matters most, and what you can - and really can’t - compromise on.

Is the price right?

Before we go any further, quite simply, is it affordable? But perhaps there's more to consider between areas you could afford too. Maybe in one area, the properties are cheaper to buy, but you’ll need to drive to the nearest shop, let alone commute by car every day. In another, you can walk to work, the mortgage repayment may be a little more each month but you don't have to run a car. But of course, it’s not just about the affordability, the location can make or break how at home you feel and the lifestyle you can have. 

We like to consider all manner of factors that make a location the right one for you. There will naturally be trade-offs. Perhaps a four-bed house with a lovely south-facing garden further out of town is more important to you than being near all the conveniences of being closer to the city centre.

Visit – a few times!

You need to visit to know. 

Walking on Google Street View and clicking through house pictures a hundred times won’t quite cut it. To be certain if you’ve found the right area, go there! and go again this time in the evening, on a weekday.
Suss out the local shops, the culture of the place, and the regularity (or irregularity!) of the buses. If you’re a pub or restaurant-goer, check out the local, Bristol certainly has a lot of them! 

Maybe you’re a gym enthusiast, or you need to know about the local medical facilities, or it’s really important to you that there’s a local community centre. Whatever matters to you? make sure to get the most out of your visits.

Get a feel, in person, for the street that you may call home. Can you really see yourself living and being happy there? - and keep in mind how many years that might be for.

Family and Schools

We know schools can often be a reason to move home. Did you know all of the property listings on our website have all of the school’s data within the map tab? They even show you the latest catchment area and there's a printable local school's report too.

In need of inspiration?

Sometimes if we’ve known our version of Bristol as “anything near The Downs”, it can be hard to even think about heading “South of the River”. That’s why we created our area guides. We know every park, every street -every lovely front door! They'll give you an idea before you head off and explore!  Click here for our Area Guides

We absolutely encourage you to research online of course, but, most of all, drop into any of our offices and chat with our lovely team. They’re big on Bristol and big on helping you find the place for you. Test them, quizz them, pick their brains, we all love Bristol, work and live here too...

Wed 12 Feb 2020