FIND THE PERFECT NEIGHBORHOOD
- Gaetan Cte
- Jul 19, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 6, 2019
When choosing a place to live in, whether it's a flat or a house (or whatever else you're into), it is also important to evaluate the environment around it. A big part of this environment is the community that lives there, but that's not the only criteria to check before moving in...

What makes up a good neighborhood ?
There are a few items you want to look into before choosing a place. Everyone has his own criteria, and you should follow what's best for you personally. But regardless of tastes in shapes and colors, here are five points that should be taken into account in order to find the right place for you:
1) Nature or city vibe?
Are you more of a green person, or rather a downtown kind of guy? There are no wrong answers here, only preferences. For us, having as much nature as possible around our home was an important criteria. We wanted streets covered by a leaf canopy as well as parks and water nearby. We wanted to be able to go out and directly be in touch with nature, and have as little city feeling as possible. But some people are more comfortable in beautiful paved streets right in front of their door, and they love the flair of the buzzy city. Simply remember: this is what you will see each and every day, especially when you get back from work. So you want it to feel as pleasant as possible. Right?
2) Dynamism of the municipality
When living in a city for more than a few months, you will probably start to see gradual changes in the environment. New buildings, facilities, or services. Changes in the existing streets and parks. The city is constantly evolving (or not), and this dynamism is impulsed by the municipality and all the actors around it. Before we moved, we were living in a city where things didn’t move at all. No visible evolution whatsoever. And this was (for us) not a great thing. We wanted to see things evolve. Now, we live in a city that does a lot of stuff (in the limit of their budget of course). Streets become pedestrian areas on the weekends, new neighborhoods rise, parks are expanded and nature is brought to the center. Composting stations are coming up in our streets, as well as water tanks for refreshment during those hot summer days... It's a sheer pleasure to whitness this movement towards progress. So that’s the second question to ask yourself: Do you like everything the way it is, or do you want to be part of an active evolution of your environment?
3) Facilities
Depending on your situation, you want (or need) to have some facilities and services closeby. Do you want to swim every day at the local swimming pool? Do you need schools and nurseries next door? Or is nightlife your main concern? Whatever it is you need, you want to have it as close to you as possible. For us, one of the main points on the checklist was to be in walking distance to the train station, to reduce the loss of time regarding transportation each day. Also, we wanted to have a real city center with shops and restaurants closeby (but still be in touch with nature). So many things to take into account...
At the same time, you probably want to live around people that share the same interests with you. Is there a D&D group around? Are there people your age? Would you have access to a dancing club or a football field with teams meeting every Wednesday night? Those elements are important on the long run for one to feel “at home”.
4) Moving around
Another important criteria is the transportation means you have access to. A good place ideally offers you all the options: walkable streets and sidewalks, cycling paths, busses and cab lanes (with a good connection, of course), railways (with satisfying services), and - to complete the list - streets and parkings for cars. The cherry on the cake is to be close enough to a train station and/or an airport which gives you the opportunity to travel easily.
Depending on the needs, the situation, or simply the current mood, you can then switch between the options to move from point A to point B. To bring the kids to school you might walk with them or drive them depending on the distance. If you have the opportunity, it can also be nice to go to work by bike on a sunny day (usually less traffic!). Unfortunately, cities usually lack one or more transportation options. So make sure that the ones you need most are easily reachable.
5) Good balance
Overall, we believe that the most important element is to feel a good balance where you live. Each of us has preferences, but in most cases it's the best to have a bit of everything, and a bit more of what's really indispensable for you. For instance, we really appreciate having a good mix of neighbors where we live: students, families and old people. It creates a good balance in the community, and that just feels like a place to call home.
If you’re interested in a young and partying neighborhood, you probably still want once in a while to go sit in a park and have a picnic with friends. If you aspire to have calm and nature around you, sometimes you might still feel the need to go out and grab a drink in a bar. Either way, it's important to define your personal "must-haves" and keep them in mind while checking out a potential new neighborhood. But remember: You usually can't have everything at once anyway, and it's a healthy mix that makes things enjoyable.
Once the exterior feels about right, check out our article about how to "furnish your flat from scratch" that will help you tackle the interior. :)
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