Driving our clients to see homes is always an eye-opening experience. Seeing their reaction and body language change as we enter their could-be neighbourhood tells us everything.
If we take two different couples into the same neighbourhood, we can get two very different reactions. One may say, “Look at the kids playing in the front yards! I love it.” While another couple may say, “These houses are a bit close to each other, aren’t they?”
Your neighbourhood isn’t a row of houses. It’s a collection of the little things that make you feel like home before you pull into your driveway. There is no right or wrong response. These are gut-reactions that you shouldn’t ignore, or compromise.
Choosing a neighbourhood is as involved and important as choosing a city. Let’s take a look at why choosing the right neighbourhood makes the difference between buying a house and making a home.
Recreating Your Childhood Experience
If you grew up near parks or the water, an invisible tractor beam may pull you back to similar neighbourhoods. Even if you’re in a different town, you will probably want to give your children an experience just like the one you had.
Did your old ‘hood have big trees? Were you biking distance from the beach? Or walking distance from school? Was there a corner store or a playground near by? These are the little things parents want to give their children—whether they’re consciously aware of it or not. You will always be drawn to them.
Mending Your Childhood Experience
Negative childhood memories are even more powerful.
If you grew up in a bad neighbourhood, you want to give your kids a better life. And there are dozens of things that you can measure this by.
You want your kids to have the backyard you never had. Or you swear no child of yours will ever have to take an hour bus ride to school. Or maybe you never got to play sports and want your kids to have access to rinks and fields. Maybe you were watching Modern Family and want your kids to grow up like the Dunphy kids. The neighbourhood will be the backdrop to all their experiences and memories. So, don’t underestimate its importance when selecting your next home.
Getting Close to the Neighbours
You can’t choose your neighbours. But you can choose the type of experience you’ll likely have with them.
Take The Orchard for example, with its huge family population, it’s commonplace to see kids playing together in the front yard while the parents look on and socialize. Everyone knows the neighbours, and their kids. This environment feels like home to a lot of people, but not everyone.
Other people would prefer an area like Aldershot. This area has an older demographic (but so much more), with mature trees, wide streets and charming homes. This appeals to people who want their space, but less to people who want a more “community-based” setting.
Again, there is no wrong answer. Just personal preference.
Why Walkability Drives Decisions
Most people want to walk to local amenities like restaurants, parks, green space, or schools. But what should that walk feel like for you?
Do you want a peaceful walk down a quiet street, waving at your friendly neighbours as you pass them? Or do you want to walk through a bustling neighbourhood, stopping to talk to your neighbours or your children’s’ friends.
Things like the local neighbourhood demographic and the density of houses drive these two experiences. Make sure you work with a realtor who knows how these factors will impact your life.
Weighing House Vs Neighbourhood
We all love to talk about a home’s features: The open concept layout, the hardwood floors, the granite countertops. These things will always sell homes, and for good reason. BUT, remember that these things can always be added to your home. You can renovate a home. You can’t renovate your neighbourhood.
We would encourage someone to choose a house in an area that feels like home, and then add the amenities after the fact. This will probably make you much happier than buying a fully loaded home in an area you don’t love.
Want to See Burlington’s Best Neighbourhoods?
See why today’s families are flocking to Burlington. Buyers can choose from a wide selection of vibrant and unique neighbourhoods. What are the best neighbourhoods in Burlington? You will have to decide that for yourself. Take a look at the in-depth descriptions on our Burlington Neighbourhoods page.
Residents of this great city also enjoy access to highly ranked schools, one of the only developed waterfronts in the GTA and a perfect situation between beautiful Niagara and all the opportunities of Toronto.
And if you weren’t already convinced to consider making Burlington home, MoneySense Magazine recently named Burlington the #1 Midsize City in Canada, for the third time!
For a closer look at what Burlington has to offer, watch the video below. Then CONTACT US to start receiving Burlington Homes for sale today!
