Thursday, June 4, 2009

How do you choose your Perth suburb?

One of the problems with buying a house is that there are so many of them, where do you start? Many people advise that you should know what you want, as in how many bedrooms, bathrooms and what kind of suburb you want to live in. Question for a first home buyer is, which suburb and how do you pick one? How do you avoid a dodgy suburb?

Here are a few factors that come to mind.

- Crime Rate: One of the most commonly search statistics for buying a house is the crime rate in the suburb. How can you enjoy your house when you are concerned with who is in your backyard? 
- Public transport facilities: If you never like catching the bus, perhaps this is one way you can choose a cheaper area which is not well serviced by public transport. Otherwise, having a bus stop outside your house may be a high priority.. just the concern of having people loitering outside your house "catching a bus" and the loss of privacy that comes with that.
- Schools and shops: For some, the corner deli, or now more like the corner Woolworths, is an essential for choosing a house. For others, distance from schools can be a deal maker. Think about what you need, and what you just want. 
- Broadband availability: Ha! Bet you didn't think about this one! You can't assume that every house you look at has access to fast broadband. You may need to get Telstra cable at Telstra prices so ask first.
- Friday nights: Have you considered parking your car in the area on a Friday night to see what its like? If someone calls the police, its probably a good sign.
 
What factors can you think of which many people don't think about when buying a house? Treat us with your dimes of wisdom or your measly two cents.

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