4 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make When Moving from the City to the Suburbs

In many people’s lives, there comes a time when the bustling city life grows old, and they just want to settle down in a home they can call their own. Enter the suburbs, a place where single-family homes and the conveniences of city living meet. Naturally, once people start a family, the suburbs become much more sought-after. 

One issue is that the ‘burbs aren’t the same as the city. The housing market is completely different and the lifestyle is a huge shift. Because of this, buyers can make costly mistakes when moving that can affect them for years to come. So, here are 4 common mistakes make when moving to the suburbs and how to avoid them.

A good school district is always a good thing to look for, right? Well, not exactly. A district that has good standardized test scores may be a high pressure environment based solely on academics.

Smaller class sizes are nice, but what about overall grade sizes? If there are 1,000 kids in a grade, your child may find it overwhelming. Consider what your kid needs in a school, and of course, district doesn’t matter nearly as much if they aren’t in the public school system.

It may sound cliche, but it is true that location is key. You may love a house, but not like the community around you. Before you decide on houses themselves, check out a few communities, and not just the big ones like Dublin or Westerville. You may prefer the feel of something smaller and/or further away from Downtown, like Sunbury or Delaware. 

Once you’ve narrowed down what areas to search in, then you can really consider neighborhoods. Spend time in the town and neighborhoods at different times of the day and week to get a sense of the traffic, noise, etc. If you work or school from home, noise levels may be really important.

The vast majority of people moving to the suburbs do so for children. For this reason, childcare is most likely going to be necessary, whether the kid is 2 or 12. It’s foolish to believe that wherever you go, there will be someone to look after your child. Research the neighborhood first, look for daycares and after-school programs.

When moving out of downtown, buyers will often emphasize commute time rather than commute quality. Try driving to the house from your job, or vice-versa, during rush hour. While two houses might both have a drive time of about 20 minutes, one may be on relatively clear roads, while the other might be on traffic-filled boulevards with stoplights every few hundred feet.

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If you’re looking for help buying a home in Central Ohio, Rita Boswell is your answer. Rita has helped countless families make the move to the suburbs. Contact the Rita Boswell Group today at (614) 547-3229.

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