This Is My Single Biggest Priority When Choosing a Neighborhood

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When choosing a neighborhood, location is what I focus on. Here’s why location can make or break your home. 

I am hoping to buy a house soon. This isn’t the first property I’ll buy. In fact, I’ve purchased both a primary home and a vacation home, and I’ve moved several times so I have bought a few different places.

After spending over a decade as a homeowner, I’ve come to clearly define my priorities when looking for properties. When I look for houses to buy now, there’s one thing I consider above all else before I’m willing to get a mortgage loan and make an offer. Here’s what it is.

This is my No. 1 criteria for homes I’m interested in

As I look for houses, the most important thing I am considering is the location where the property is. Specifically, I have some very detailed demands for where I want my house to be located. I want the house to be:

In a safe area so I don’t have to worry about my kids playing outdoorsIn an area where we can walk to parks, restaurants, and other activitiesIn a place where I can get to the majority of places I want to go without having to sit in traffic for long periodsIn an area with a good school district On a lot where I do not have rear neighbors

All of these things are essential for me to be able to enjoy living in a house. I’ve learned this over time as I’ve had bad experiences with noisy neighbors located behind my house, and have had even worse experiences buying a property in a high-traffic area. The delays were so bad, I didn’t even want to leave the house half the time.

A good school district is also important to me, both because I have children who may attend school there some day and because I know that parents care about this issue — so a good district is essential to maintaining property values.

Why location is so important to me

Location is my No. 1 priority over other issues such as what the house looks like inside because location is the one feature of a home that absolutely cannot be changed. I can’t pick up my house and move it elsewhere because the traffic is bad, and I can’t make rear neighbors disappear even if I really don’t like them.

Things like a daily commute and the ability to get to stores and restaurants easily will have a much greater impact on my ability to enjoy my life than things like an updated kitchen or a luxury spa-like master bath. These types of home features may seem attractive at first glance, but you usually get used to them over time. And a dated bath or a kitchen with older cabinets isn’t likely to be a constant annoyance like sitting in traffic for hours would be.

While that’s not to say I don’t also want a pretty house if I can find it, location will always be the biggest deal breaker — and I’d rather have a less perfect home in an ideal location.

Ultimately, every home buyer needs to set their own priorities. But, I firmly believe location should be No. 1 for most people due to the profound impact it can have on every other aspect of your life.

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The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Christy Bieber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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