How to Decide Where to Live – Key Factors to Ponder On
When it comes to deciding a new place to reside, it is better to have as many options as possible. Leaving your current home and moving on is not an easy decision to make and requires a lot of thought, effort, and courage. To make the experience as less overwhelming as possible, you must do the proper homework.
The main question concerning how to decide where to live is still there. Many people think that choosing the right career and finding your soulmate are the determinants of a happy life. However, finding the perfect place to live also has a huge impact on your quality of life. It influences the lifestyle we live, the hobbies we pursue, and the kind of friends we make.
From the condition of the job market to the climate of the new city, everything is crucial in deciding whether you would like to settle there or not. We enlist some of the most important factors that can tell you whether a particular city is suitable for you to spend your life or not.
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Things to Consider When Choosing a Place to Live
Size of the Town/City
When you are young, you wish to live in large urban centers of big cities where one thing or the other is happening. But, if you are settling with family, you would like to have a quieter, more connected community of a smaller town around you. Then, how to decide where you want to live? If you want both, you must carefully choose the town with the right size.
Whether you’re natural for a big-city life or a small town person at heart, you must remember that your preferences are going to change with time. You have to weigh the pros and cons of living in a town or city before making a choice, and your decision should also resonate with your family.
Job Opportunities
Quite often, employment becomes the decisive factor in choosing the right place to live. Opportunities vary from city to city and state and state. Therefore, a lot of time is spent researching different job markets. It starts from analyzing quality employment opportunities to determining where the highest concentration of such jobs can be found.
However, in changing times, the question of a lucrative employment opportunity doesn’t remain as crucial. Means of earning have changed - many people only require a working station, a reliable laptop, and a good internet connection to carry on with their job responsibilities.
Cost of Living
Places that have a high living cost are more desirable because of plenty of reasons. Living in a city with a low cost of living comes with some obvious advantages. No two states in the country have the same home price. It is possible to get a mansion for what you would pay to get a small apartment in a city with a high cost of living.
On the flip side, the expensive places are expensive because they offer better job opportunities, higher payrolls, and more facilities. There is no denying that such places also let you enjoy a lavish lifestyle, only if you can land the job of your dreams where you are generously paid.
Climate/Weather
If you live in Canada, weather and climate automatically become the most important consideration in choosing the right place to live. If you wish to move up North, be prepared to shovel a lot of snow during most of the year. Staying in the southern regions will allow you to enjoy more warm weather.
When deciding to settle in a particular place, you must consider the kind of activities you enjoy. Extreme weather conditions may not allow you to carry out those activities and this affects your happiness and satisfaction in the long run. It is also about how much cold or hot weather you can withstand.
Education System
If you have a family, your kids must have access to quality education. Even if you don’t have a family yet, you need to plan for the future if you are going to stay in this place for a long time. Find out the standard of public schools in the town and the availability of private schools.
It is not necessary to move to large cities to ensure that your child gets a good education. Mostly, there are good schools in small towns that have high rankings and talented staff. It is better to do thorough online research before making a decision.
Health Facilities
Astonishingly, a lot of people do not even consider healthcare to be a factor. There is no denying that the public health sector is impressive, and citizens are facilitated in every part of the country. However, if you or any of your family members have a medical condition, you need to live in a place that has the facilities to address it.
If you have an elderly with you, make sure that the place you choose to live has a hospital and other caregiving facilities nearby. Nothing comes before your health and well-being, so you should always have easy access to quality healthcare.
Transportation
Working from home has become increasingly popular, especially during the pandemic situation. However, certain careers cannot take the road to digitization. Therefore, transportation is an integral aspect in choosing a place to live.
In metropolitan cities, the price of living in the urban core or near downtown is way too high. So, people prefer to live in the suburbs and take long commutes to work. If you do not wish to drive every day and working from home is not an option, then you need to have a good commute in your area.
Proximity to Family and Friends
For those who value spending time with family and friends, moving too far away from them is never an option. When living far away, reuniting on holidays or special occasions always seems like a hassle.
Flying is not only stressful but can also be a strain on tight budgets. If spending special occasions with loved ones is important for you, it is better to find a city at a few hours’ drive from them.
Safety and Crime Rate
Fortunately, the crime rate in Canada is quite low, even in cities like Vancouver and Toronto. But, this doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t consider this factor while moving to a new place. It is always a good idea to get help from the internet and have as much information regarding the area as possible.
You can also contact the Local Police Department and get details about the crime statistics of any particular area. Being the most authentic source of information, most police stations will also inform you about the community's involvement in preventing crime in that area.
Entertainment and Culture
Make a list of all the activities you and your family enjoy, including those activities that you want to do but are unable to because of the current living space. You would want to move to a place that not only ensures you thrive financially but also enjoy leisure time with your favorite cultural activities.
Would you like to have museums and libraries near you or a good sports complex? Spend some time reading city guides to know the kind of activities you can look forward to when moving to a certain city.
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Get Moving, Packing, and Storage Services from Professional Movers
Once you’ve decided which city or town will be your new home, the more hectic task of moving starts. It is better to start decluttering the house as soon as you’ve decided to save yourself from making hasty decisions at the last hour. A well-planned move with a good checklist will always prove to be less stressful.
Sell large furniture items, especially if you have to make a long-distance move. Donate unnecessary belongings to reduce the load of moving. While you may be able to carry out these tasks all by yourself, getting professional help will bring down the burden and allow you to concentrate on finishing up other responsibilities in the city.
GTA Moving Services can prove to be of great help as our well-trained and friendly staff will guide you throughout the moving process and make it as smooth as possible. You can trust our moving team to lay out the best strategy to save money and ensure that you have a quick and stress-free relocation.
We have moving teams throughout the GTA — we are ready to be your qualified and reliable North York movers, movers company in Brampton or Scarborough movers. Fill out the form below to receive a free quote, or call us now at 416-523-6683!
