Before you make a start on the process of moving home in Harrogate, you first need to come up with a plan of what you want. Many will want to move to a new location and have a fresh start, whilst others may want the same location but a bigger property, to name a few reasons.
You need to give some thought to the area you are in, what your current situation is and whether you expect that to change. In an ideal world, when you move home in Harrogate, you need to consider how things might change in the next 5 or 10 years, maybe more?
To give you a nudge in the right direction and give you plenty to consider ahead of the next step in your home owning journey, we have put together a list of 10 factors that could help you to decide where to move house in Harrogate.
1. Busy town centre or relaxing countryside?
First of all, we would suggest that you take a look at the area that you are looking to buy a house in. Do you want to live in the busy town centre of Harrogate or would you prefer something a little quieter, perhaps in the countryside?
Typically speaking, we find that first time buyers in Harrogate prefer to live closer to towns and cities, whereas people with families, who have perhaps been homeowners for a few years, may move out of the busier areas to settle down for a much quieter life.
There are no doubt pros and cons to both of these options, though at the end of the day, it’s all down to personal preference!
2. Transport Links
Transport links are quite a large factor to think about when you are considering where to live, which is even more so the case when you are working out where it is you want to live.
If you typically go to work via driving and have a job that is situated outside of where you are living, you should consider seeing how easy it is to get onto the motorway or busier roads.
If you are unable to drive and you happen to heavily rely on public transport to commute to and from your place of work, it may be worth your while looking at an area that is closer to where it is you work, to provide you with easier access to public transport.
You should also bear in mind the amount that it will cost to travel if you do, as those costs could run high. Additionally, it could be worth moving as close to your work as you can, maybe considering things like walking or biking as a way to reduce your carbon footprint.
3. Schools & Education
Families will need to take a look at all the nearby schools and education opportunities too, whilst they are property hunting. If your kids are still in school, you might find this a little challenging, as you will have to decide whether or not to keep them where they are or move them to another school.
It will mostly be dependant on how far it is you are planning to move away. If your children are younger, this might be a little easier for you.
If you currently don’t have a family of your own but are thinking about starting one, it will be worth your time looking at this ahead of time. When you eventually do have children and they are ready to start school, it will be much easier to already be aware of your options.
4. Nearby Facilities – What You Need vs What You Want
When moving to a new area, there will be many different things that you want nearby. Although, there is a difference between what you want nearby and what you need nearby.
We would advise separating nearby facilities with ‘what you want vs what you need’. For example, you want to have a gym nearby, however, having shops nearby is more important and something that you need.
Having a gym nearby is what we call ‘an added bonus’ and is not one of the main reasons why someone should live in an area.
5. Friends & Family
If you tend to see your family and friends more often, it may be challenging for you to even consider moving further away. We often find that conversely to this, people actually will often move closer to family and friends, as one of their primary reasons is to see them more.
This is a scenario that tends to be much more popular with young families in Harrogate who move closer to family and friends, as a way of getting help with raising their children. This a perk you lose if you move away, unfortunately!
6. Is the property good value for money?
When you look to buy a property, you first need to make sure that the properties you are looking at are actually worth what it is the seller is asking for it.
We would suggest that you take a look at recently sold house prices for that area on websites like Rightmove or Zoopla, as a way to double-check you aren’t paying over the odds for a property. If you are overpaying, a mortgage lender might down-value the property when they do their valuation.
If you are a first time buyer in Harrogate, you simply be looking to find something cheap and cheerful as your first home, so that you are at least on the property ladder. This still doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check house prices in the area, however, as you still need to make sure it is worth the costs.
7. What is the community like?
The way the local community of an area is like can have an impact on how your living experience will be as well. Some people love to live in busy, vibrant communities with regular events and celebrations. Others will prefer to be quiet and do very little.
As a mortgage broker in Harrogate, we would suggest that when someone looks at moving home in Harrogate, that they should look online to find out what the local area is like. Checking forum threads, Facebook groups and local news can help you to get a good idea of this.
8. Career Changes
A lot of home buyers will be moving home because they have actually decided to take a new job or even take on a new career altogether. This is a very common reason we hear for people moving home!
You will also have to bear in mind the various transport links when moving to a new area and how this could affect your job. Is it viable for you to move closer to work and yet also be within reach of friends and family?
There may very well be places that are easy enough for you to travel to your new place of work and aren’t too far from your new home.
Many home buyers will not be affected by this anymore, as the new modern approach to work is to actually just work from home. This could be a factor too, as you may require space for a home office, whilst factoring in still getting to your workplace, if they ever require you in person.
9. Type of Property
There are a wide variety of different property types that are available to property purchasers on the open market. Depending on the size of the property you are looking for, you may find that you don’t have as many choices for where you want to live.
For example, terraced and semi-detached houses are usually found in and around cities or towns, whilst you can find a larger property usually outside of those areas. If you have a particular property type in mind already, say a detached house, there may not be any near where you were hoping to buy.
It will also be quite dependant on your personal factors, such as how big your family is, how you might expect it to grow, what your future plans are and your financial circumstances. It is worth looking at other properties on the internet to gauge the average housing prices for a set area and property type.
10. Local Developments
If there has been a proposal for a local development, it is handy for you to be aware of this prior to committing to a property purchase, especially if you have high hopes and are looking to build your life around this new home.
An example of a local investment could be something like an entire housing estate that is either proposed or is set to be finished soon. Something like this could change the environment, altering what seems quiet to you at first, making for a much more active community.
Free Mortgage Appointment for Home Movers
When you have gone through all of the factors listed and have made plans for where you wish to live next, the next step for you to take is to get in touch with a mortgage advisor in Harrogate and get the ball rolling on your mortgage process!
We are an experienced and reputable mortgage broker in Harrogate, helping many home buyers in Harrogate over the years. We offer all of our customers a free home movers review or first time buyer mortgage appointment, with a qualified mortgage advisor in Harrogate.
Book online today and we will see how we can help you out with your home buying journey!
Date Last Edited: December 28, 2023
