We realize this isn’t a particularly techie subject, but it’s something we’ve been working on lately and thought we’d share.
Last month we embarked on a mission to find piano lessons Calgary Alberta where we’re located. The online search brought up a number of potential instructors, but we wanted to know what to look out for [...]
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House Hunting? How to Find a Great Neighbourhood For Kids
by admin on March 8, 2011 · 0 comments
Realtors always make sure to point out a neighbourhood’s “kid friendliness” or proximity to schools when helping prospective buyers select a home. There’s more to finding the right family neighbourhood however than just “great schools nearby”.
So what should you consider when trying to determine if the house you’re looking at will be a safe, fun place for your kids to grow up?
Here’s five areas to examine:
1. Proximity to family and friends
Sure, it’ll be great to make new friends on your new street, but how close would you be to existing family and friends? Can your kids safely make it back and forth from their house to yours? If the new kids on the block don’t play well together, will your child have other close-by kids to get together with?
2. Nearby development plans
“The look of a neighbourhood today can change drastically tomorrow. The development of nearby public housing, commercial outlets or health centers that cater to seedier elements can quickly dampen the comfort you have in allowing your children some space to roam as they get older”, says Stephanie from Victoria Real Estate, a leading real estate blog.
3. Traffic patterns
Cul-de-sacs can be ideal for low through-traffic rates and slower traffic speeds. Houses at the base of hills can often end up with speeding drivers who don’t realize their rate of speed, and more importantly might not see your little ones. Keep an eye out for streets with speed humps or other traffic-slowing mechanisms to maintain a livable speed rate in the neighbourhood.
4. All of the schools in the area
Great elementary school? Awesome. Now what about the middle and high schools in the area? Ideally, try to find a neighbourhood where you kids can be comfortable as they move up through the grades. A bad middle school sandwiched between a great elementary and high school can spoil an otherwise seamless transition upward.
5. To and from routes.
Walk the routes to and from the schools and local ‘kids hangouts’ to see what the path looks like and if you’d be comfortable knowing your child was going to take that route almost daily once you’re moved in. You don’t get a second crack at selecting the right routes.
Hope you’ve found these tips helpful!
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