In my mind, the most important thing about the house you buy is where you buy it. So many things about houses – the size, the layout, and the other details – you can live with or they can be changed, but once you buy that house, you can’t move it. Unless you live in a mobile home I suppose.
It was almost ten years ago that my husband and I were looking at buying our first home. We were living in his childhood home, renting from his parents while they lived in another province. The cheap rent afforded us a great opportunity to save up some serious cash for a downpayment.
We had lots of time to think and dream and come up with a list of things that we wanted in a house. There are always things that you have to have, things that would be nice to have, and things you don’t really care about one way or the other. We knew we wanted a new house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, a two-car garage, and a decent-sized backyard.
But more than any of that, it was the location that mattered most. We were looking for a new house in a young community. We wanted to be close to work so we wouldn’t be spending hours a day commuting. We wanted to buy a house that we could grow into and would be big enough for at least 15-20 years. No starter home for us. Moving just isn’t that fun.
Our city is bordered on the North by a river so the expansion happens to the East, the West, and the South. The East and the West have decent roads and bus service, but the South is where we felt the pull. We found a nice little community with a lot of growth happening to the South, not far from our offices, which are conveniently across the street from each other.
After we settled on the neighbourhood we found out which companies were building new houses and checked out all the model homes. It wasn’t hard to figure out what we could afford (more like, what we couldn’t afford) and then the layouts that we liked and the ones we didn’t. We were lucky to find a model we loved and a lot on a corner with a big backyard. Our dream house seemed to be within our reach.
Unlocking the door for the first time
It took a while between signing on the dotted line and moving in but it was such a rush putting the key in the lock for the first time. It took a bit until we felt settled in. And it wasn’t until we had kids and spent a significant amount of time outside that we really got to know our neighbours. Our neighbours are a lot like us and we’ve become quite close over the years. We can picture our kids growing up with theirs.
Our neighbourhood has everything you’d want as a young family: a few schools to choose from, a community centre, numerous parks, and lots of other young families. There isn’t a lot in terms of restaurants or shopping but we’re not far from a few commercial areas so I don’t feel like we’re missing out, for the most part.
I truly believe we’ve found the house we’re going to live in for a long time and an area that we really love. Mobile home or not, we won’t be moving any time soon.
So nice that you are raising your family in the perfect neighbourhood! We went with a more affordable starter home and I love the community, but now that our kid has come along, I’m starting to feel the pull to find a bigger space.
Melanie recently posted..Meeting up in Montebello
I totally that. Think you’ll move?
K recently posted..5 totally useful baby shower gift ideas
Location was definitely important to us when we were looking! We had to balance our budget (some areas are way more expensive than others in this city) with our community wishes. We didn’t want to be in a sketchy area, we wanted to be in a family friendly place with a quiet (street-hockey worthy) street.
We ended up somewhere so perfect we almost could not have planned it better. Our community has community centres and sports programs (it is where Sydney Crosby grew up). Our subdivision seems to be full of little kids. There is a little play park right behind our home and a larger one down the street. We feel like we lucked out on location!
Thanks for being here today, Kamerine! Location was something I didn’t even realize was important until we started looking.
Laura O’Rourke recently posted..Location! Location! Location!
Thank YOU for having me!
I’m so happy you found a great house in a great neighbourhood. Seeing kids playing all together.. that’s a nice sight. :)
K recently posted..Sponsor shout-out {Summer 2013}
So true! Houses can be changed, but location cannot. We are fortunate to have chosen a great neighbourhood that suits us and our needs. So glad that you have, too!
Kim recently posted..Constellations
Thanks Kim! Glad you found a great neighbourhood too.
K recently posted..Sponsor shout-out {Summer 2013}
isn’t that a good feeling? knowing you’re settled in for the long haul? I’d think so. I’m looking forward to feeling that way again :)
Might be awhile, but your plans sound great and your rental sounds pretty great too!
K recently posted..Sponsor shout-out {Summer 2013}
We fell into a great neighborhood when we moved, but I admit that we didn’t think much about location other than checking to make sure the schools were okay. Sometimes it just works out.
Andrea recently posted..On the Fridge
So true! There are so many great areas and what works for one family might not work for another.
K recently posted..Sponsor shout-out {Summer 2013}
Location is definitely important! Especially when you have kids for the schools and for them to make friends, etc. Glad you’ve found a great place for your family! :)