Moving house can be a daunting venture in itself without having to worry about additional dangers, such as
possibility of moving next-door to neighbours from hell or areas where crime rates are high. Statistics reveal that two thirds of people find moving house highly stressful, while 9% have actually taken ill from process! Women in particular find moving house to be a highly painful procedure, with 30% admitting to having sleepless nights.There are obvious difficulties, such as having to pack, transport everything and unpack it all again, coupled with stress of paper work and additional costs. However, recent research suggests that a danger many fear is consequence of moving into wrong neighbourhood. There are several worries potential buyers are faced with including:
•Moving next to noisy students/neighbours •Moving into an area with crime issues •Areas with bad public transport •A lack of local shops •Living on a noisy road
More and more emphasis is being placed on significance of a location and impact on which choosing wrong place could have on ones lifestyle. The image-conscious are likely to want to move into a popular area of which peers will approve. Others may be more drawn towards practicality of a neighbourhood and will question factors such as proximity to city centre and best local transport system.
As a result, various websites have taken action to educate potential buyers and either remove their fears or alert them to likely annoyances a new area could bring. Some sites have a “search by postcode” option whereby they supply a wealth of information about a location, such as proximity of potential property to local supermarkets and health care facilities. Examples include UpMyStreet (http://www.upmystreet.com) and Multimap.com (http://www.multimap.com/). Consumers have responded positively to such information and are willing to take time to research positive and negative aspects that choosing a specific location will bring. The exterior surroundings of a property are considered by many to be just as important as interiors and personal “home comforts” that come from being inside.
