buying your first home - what you should know

Look Into These Travel-Related Issues Before You Buy a Home

When you have your focus narrowed to a home or other piece of real estate that you wish to buy, it's important to think beyond just that residence's amenities. You should also spend some time learning about travel-related issues in the area. This is especially important if you're moving to a new part of the city or a new city altogether and don't have a grasp on the local travel situation. Where a home is located in relation to major traffic routes can influence whether you'll want to buy the home or potentially keep looking. Here are some specific factors to look into.

Presence of Public Transportation

If you plan to take public transportation to work, or if your child will be taking public transportation to school, it's imperative that you learn about the local public transportation network before you move forward and buy the home. For example, determine where the nearest bus stop is located. Or, if you have a lengthy commute by train, figure out how long it will take to drive to the train station. If you're a fair distance from where you work, and there's no city bus route, check to see whether there's a coach bus that stops in the area; in smaller communities, these vehicles will run from the community to the city.

Traffic Situation

Learning about the traffic situation is also important, especially if you'll be driving to work daily. While you can always drive to the home in the morning and take the route to work to see how the traffic flows, checking online can also be advantageous. Check a real-time traffic map and note any delays between the home and your place of work. No one wants to spend a significant portion of his or her day sitting in traffic, and the location of the home you buy can impact the ease of your daily commute.

Availability of Parking

When friends and family members travel to your home by vehicle, they'll need a place to park. If the parking in your driveway is limited, take some time to scout out the availability of other parking. Are there spaces on the street? If so, is it free to park in these locations? You'll also want to check whether there's a time limit for street parking. For example, it's a hassle for a visitor to have to move his or her car every two hours. While the parking situation may not seem like the most important factor to think about when you are considering a home, it's still worth evaluating.


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