Why is Location Important When Choosing Where to Live?

When moving somewhere new, there is always a lot to consider. What your apartment will look like, who you will live with, and most importantly – what location it is in. Whether you are single, have a family, or need to find the best location for your studying or job, the right location will impact the quality of life you have at your new home.

Naturally, a lot of these choices involve careful consideration. Your reasons for choosing a new home could differ from someone else in your position. So, in a time where it might feel overwhelming, we’ve made a list of some of the main reasons why you should never second guess which location you’re in, no matter what city you choose. So, next time you’re on Google searching ‘rooms for rent Seattle’, you might want to consider these things before agreeing right away.

Location, Location, Location

1. Convenience

None of us want to make life more complicated than it should be for ourselves. When choosing your next place to live, convenience is crucial. Depending on your lifestyle, you must consider how far your location is from your place of work, your college, or your child’s school. It is also essential to consider how close your potential home is to public transport, grocery stores, laundromats, or anywhere else you like to go. For many, an apartment that is close to all kinds of amenities is usually the ideal position to be in. Not only will it help with overall convenience, it will save you a lot of time and money. Depending on the size of the city you live in, a commute could end up being 45 minutes to an hour, which makes a difference in the fast-paced world we live in today.

2. Walkability factors

For more and more people today, especially in the sunnier months, you want to be able to walk to and from certain places without constantly relying on public transport. The location of your home will make a significant impact on this. Consider how easy it is to acquire things you need daily, such as pharmacies, groceries, etc. Walkability factors also include things such as sidewalks, and the safety you have in walking around your neighborhood will make a big difference to your quality of life. You don’t want to live in a location where you’re scared to be alone at night.

The same goes for your place of study. Depending on where you decide to go, it could be a campus-based college or one that is much more spread out. Finding accommodation that is closer to your school will significantly help your studying experience. You will feel more of a sense of community living near your school and with others in the same boat as you. Relocating can be daunting for everyone, so you want to find a great group of people with whom you can experience college life.

3. Employment opportunities

Employment opportunity remains a crucial and often decisive factor in decisions about where to live. But it’s not quite as central to the question as it once was. It is more common today that a location is crucial for employment. If you are a digital nomad, you need only a good workspace, reliable internet service, and your laptop to earn money from anywhere. If you aren’t in this position and are unemployed, where you move will highly depend on what jobs are available. It is important to note that employment opportunities vary from city to city, and state to state, so depending on where you want to go, take time out to research the job markets and criteria for that area. 

An excellent place to start is looking into the quality of employment options within the industry you work in or want to work in, and next, determine where the highest number of these jobs are. It will vary depending on the industry. For example, if you are an investment banker, you must live in a bigger city like Boston or New York City. If you have more portable skills and work in teaching or accounting, you have a better chance of finding work wherever you want to move.

4. Climate

For a lot of us, climate legitimately impacts our quality of living. Depending on your personal preference, some prefer the cold, whereas others want to be somewhere that is sunny all year long. This kind of consideration will also impact the location you choose to live in. It might seem minor, but it is important to note that the climate can impact many things. It affects our mental health, physical comfort, hobbies, and what we decide to wear. As well as this, the climate impacts and shapes our local economies, affecting employment options.

5. Culture

Depending on your tastes, culture will affect the location you want to move to. You will naturally need to live in a big city if you prefer to be close to great theatres, sports stadiums, top-class art galleries and museums, and a wide range of bars and restaurants. However, if you enjoy being closer to nature and outdoor activities, you should stick to more rural places. If you aren’t a fan of big cities, don’t fret. Many smaller metropolitan areas have much to offer regarding cultural opportunities and amenities. It is all down to your preference and where you see yourself happiest.