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When looking to buy or rent, you’re opening yourself up to a whole lot of differing advice and opinions about which suburb might be the best fit for you. While well-meaning advice is exactly that, the most important thing to consider is what is right for you and your lifestyle.

To help you stay on track to finding the perfect neighbourhood, here are our top tips for selecting your dream suburb.    

Outline what your suburb needs and wants are

When looking at potential suburbs, it is important to get a firm idea of what matters most to you and what you are willing to compromise on.

According to Canstar, a property’s location is the number one factor to consider when looking to buy a home, so make sure you take your time to figure out what will be right for you.

Do you love being able to walk to local cafés or bars? Is it important that you are close to parks, or do you want to be able to cycle to work? By asking yourself questions like these, you can start to pull together a list of your must-haves’ and nice to have’s and you can then use that as a guide for your search.   

You will also need to factor in future lifestyle changes, such as adopting a pet, starting a family or retirement, because suburbs that fit your must-haves now might not align with your future plans and property goals.  

Use a suburb search tool  

Once you know what lifestyle factors are important to you, a suburb search tool makes a world of difference in your search to ensure you can match your criteria with a suburb that fits your needs.  

Sitchu’s suburb search tool allows you to select the features and amenities you want to live near. For example, bars, cafés, parks, schools. As well as who you plan to live with, and your rough budget.

From there, the tool generates suburbs that match your selected lifestyle criteria, and you can explore them via suburb guides to get to know the area better before you make the trip out to see the suburb and available properties.

Review suburb guides 

Checking out a suburb in person is ideal, but with stay-at-home restrictions still in place in some of our States, an online suburb guide will have to do the work for you instead.

There are a lot of websites that offer suburb guides, but some are more detailed than others. Use a guide that provides the most information so you can get a true understanding of the area.  

A recent study in Washington Post found that more than 20 per cent of buyers regret not learning enough about the area they were moving to before committing to a property, so researching the suburb and learning as much as you can is crucial.     

Speak to a local expert

Complement your online research by speaking to a local expert who can advise on suburbs that match your lifestyle. If you are in the market to buy, local experts can give you advice on other factors to consider, such as potential resale price, upcoming developments and suburb demographics.  

“For advice about the market, how its faring and long-term expectations, speak to a local real estate professional. They can give you relevant insights as well as an idea of the overall profile of the neighbourhood,” says Andrew Robinson, Chief Auctioneer (NSW) Hockingstuart. 

“It’s a good idea to ask them specifics about the area. Are there any works or developments planned, such as council improvements that could add value to your property, or any zoning changes planned? They can also advise on sales activity in the area, and what kind of property tends to be the most popular. All really valuable advice when looking to buy,” he adds.   

To find out more about your perfect suburb, explore different neighbourhoods with Sitchu’s suburb search tool, or reach out to a Hockingstuart local agent today.