How to assess area to move to?

Natsplus

Hi,
I would like to know how do you see apart from personal experience and knowledge, which area is good to move to? Low crime rate etc. We once moved listening to the EA showing us telling its a great area and have been stuck there for 15 yrs, this time would like to make an informed decision.

Thanks

Amara

Mouseprice has data. Checkmypostcode.uk, police.uk has topic, where you can put your postcode and see, how area is performing.

r0adrunner

One thing people overlook and which can be checked by postcode at the Defra website is air quality, which you might want to check.

Sistergold

Once you have checked statistics, check area for yourself. You need to drive to area and park and observe at different times of day. Take walks in the whole area and see if it meets your requirements in terms of feel, safety and density of people about. 

SidJ

Look at the online editions of any local newspapers. They will report local crime stories etc

RelievedSheff

We were lucky that we had friends already living in the area we have moved too, so having stayed at their house plenty we knew that we really liked the area.

Our last house was a different story however and we really wish that we had done more research as we ended up stuck there for 12 years and we really hated the area, loved our house but hated everything else about where we lived.

You can check all of the online facts and figures but you really need to go and check the area out for yourself and see if you feel your would be happy there. Speak to the neighbours if you can and get a general feel.

NewShadow

Natsplus said:

Hi,
I would like to know how do you see apart from personal experience and knowledge, which area is good to move to? Low crime rate etc. We once moved listening to the EA showing us telling its a great area and have been stuck there for 15 yrs, this time would like to make an informed decision.

Thanks

I think it depends on why you're moving and why you're considering that area, plus what you think makes an area 'bad'...

I don't/can't drive so always move with a view to how I'm going to get to work - I'm also not the most 'involved' person in the world and therefore am not that interested on how much of a local 'community' there is. Easiest way for me to then decide on areas within my preferred radius is to talk to the people from work - they'll always be someone who is living locally or was brought up in the area. 

If you're moving to an area because of the catchment area for a school, for example, perhaps see if you can spot other parents on the schools facebook pages and introduce yourself - or if it's the train line, stand at the stop and spark up a conversation with some people waiting for the train. 

I appreciate not everyone is quite as... forthright as I am, but lots of people are generally willing to show their knowledge of the area and like to feel that they helped if the question is posed politely - kind of like on the forum