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18 July 2002 Rental
Lifestyle Issues Once the
decision to rent has been taken, it only remains to decide on the area.
This important choice will largely depend on your lifestyle
requirements based on work, domestic and social activities.
Deciding on the best area requires
research and it is a smart step to do this before you begin the actual
viewing process. It's better
not to waste your time viewing homes in a neighbourhood that ultimately
falls short of meeting your needs. After the
background research and one or two visits, you should have a clear idea
of whether you would be happy to live in an area.
If something feels wrong, and your gut feeling says no, then it's
back to the drawing board, but at least you found out before you wasted
too much time searching for property. Is city
centre living the life for you or would you prefer the suburbs or even
rural? Public transport,
road and rail links are crucial factors for a busy family and remember
to check out car parking adjacent to your home.
If peace and tranquility is your thing, then you don't want to be
a stone's throw from an airport. If
you are someone that spends a lot of time on the road, then easy
motorway access may be something that would make your life easier. Is there
anything that forms part of your life that would be difficult to do
without? If the answer is
yes and giving it up would make you terribly unhappy, then maybe it
wouldn't be such a smart move Answer this
lifestyle checklist to come up with the full picture of your
requirements: R
How
do you normally get around and will you be able to do that in the new
area? R
How
easy will it be to get work? R
Are
there cycle paths and footpaths on the roads? R
Does
there seem to be traffic problems? R
Can
you easily get on to the motorway system? R
Does
there appear to be many taxi services around? R
What
is the local public transport like? R
Are
there good bus services? R
Is
there a mainline train station nearby? R
What
rail network does it connect you to? R
Are
there other transport systems within easy reach, such as the tube? R
Is
it difficult to get to an International airport? R
What
is the main shopping street like, will it meet your needs? R
How
far is the nearest supermarket? Is
there a big out of town shopping centre within reach? R
Is
there a leisure centre or gym to serve the area?
Can I transfer membership of any clubs I belong to, or are there
new ones that I could join? R
Are
there enough parks for the children?
Is there a children’s nursery close by? R
Are
there local youth clubs, scout and guide groups, playschools etc.? R
Is
there a library? What about
a cinema? R
How
built up is the area? R
Literally
how green is the environment? Are
there plenty of parks and trees? R
Do
you like the dominant style of building in the area? R
Does
the area seem to be clean? R
How
quickly can you get from the area out into the country?
Is it near to the sea? R
How
exposed to the elements will it be during the winter? R
Perhaps
you have health issues that pretty much govern the sort of area you can
choose. R
What
sort of factories and industries are active in the area? R
Are
pets
allowed? R
Will
you live above or below someone; do you share walls? R
Where
are the centres of entertainment? R
Is
the apartment above a pub or club? Don’t
forget the extra leisure time afforded by renting.
Enjoy the reduced self-maintenance and repair demands of renting
compared with owning. Only
DIY fanatics would complain at this. 719
words Further
media information: John
Benn at Elan Public Relations 01436 672600 or johnbenn@elanpr.co.uk
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