Can’t decide where to live? This post will help you learn how to choose where to live using the factors people use to determine their new home, like the 90/10 Rule for figuring out where to live.
You’ve heard it before—location, location, location. The adage rings true to this day. Location is one of the most important factors when choosing a new house. In fact, 88% of survey respondents listed location as the most important criterion when buying a new home.
The importance of location begs the question—how do you choose where to live? Location plays an immense role in your lifestyle, budget, work-life balance, and home type, making it a substantial first step in the home search. If you’re asking yourself, “Where should I live?” and need help deciding, especially if you’re a first-time home buyer, evaluate our guide to the essential factors to consider.
What factors determine where people decide to live?
As real estate professionals, we often get asked, “How do you choose where to live?” from friends, family, and clients. There’s not one answer that applies to everyone. Instead, a few factors help evaluate locations when you can’t decide where to live.
- Cost of living. Your budget is one of the most essential factors in your home search (even before you choose where to live). Calculating your home budget can help you decide if you should rent or buy, where to look, and what type of home to search for. Once you’ve set your budget, you should evaluate how it would affect your overall budget. This is where a location’s cost of living, or how much it costs to cover basic living expenses, comes into the equation. For example, the cost of living is typically lower in the suburbs and higher in cities.
- Commute. If you travel into an office daily, consider traffic and commute times as they impact your work-life balance. Living far from work can cost you more money in gas, mileage, and vehicle maintenance in the long run. Similarly, the availability of public transportation may be necessary for you if you don’t own a personal vehicle. In addition to commute time to work, consider how close you are to family and friends, activities you love, and recreational opportunities.
- Job opportunity. Should you choose where to live based on career goals, consider the job market. Are there plenty of opportunities for your chosen career? For example, if you’re a nurse, are there a variety of hospitals or healthcare offices nearby? If you primarily work from home or travel for work, consider how far you are from airports or city centers.
- Convenience. In this day and age, time is of the essence, and convenience is a valuable commodity. How close do you want to live if you attend a church, gym, or social club? Similarly, is a location near conveniences such as gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, and other fun activities?
- Availability of education and school ratings. Whether you have children or choose to continue your education, school ratings are important factors when you can’t decide where to live. Many families relocate to areas with highly-rated schools for educational purposes, though adults of all ages may want to be near colleges or universities to continue their studies.
- Crime. Crime rates don’t tell the whole story of safety and security, though they can help you evaluate a location based on general statistics.
- Availability of healthcare. For those requiring more doctor visits, living near hospitals and doctors’ offices is convenient and provides peace of mind.
What is the 90/10 Rule for deciding where to live?
Using the 90/10 Rule when you can’t decide where to live helps you evaluate some of the most critical aspects of your lifestyle compared to location. The 90/10 Rule explains that you should decide where to live based on the factors that affect 90% of your life.
For example, a young professional moves away from their extended family to be closer to work and nightlife, thus cutting the commute in half and giving them more time to meet new friends, exercise, and get a dog. They still see their family every weekend with just a 30-minute drive. This new living situation is a win-win based on the 90/10 Rule because they remain close to their family but also experience a new, independent life.
How to Choose Where to Live with Brock Built
When you need help figuring out how to choose where to live, we’re the experts! Our sales agents have been helping home buyers like you for over 30 years. Whether you’re hunting for a house in Atlanta or discovering a new lifestyle in Florida or Alabama, we have a variety of townhomes, single family homes, and 55+ active adult homes for all types of home buyers in locations that fit all lifestyles. If you’re just starting your home search and evaluating your budget, you can even reduce your costs with us thanks to our special incentives for new construction home buyers. Get in touch with our team to start your search today!