When you’re considering buying a residential house and land package, it can be so easy to get caught up in tile colours, designer lighting and stone benchtops. Many new home buyers spend much less time thinking about the area they’ll be living in. The community in which you live can have a great impact on your enjoyment of your new home, so it’s best to do your homework.
Amenities
Banks, grocers, schools, shops. Consider how long it would take you to pop out for milk and eggs, or to fill a prescription. Residential land in areas with well-established amenities is more popular for good reason. Enjoying parks, picnic grounds, lakes and bike tracks are wonderful features of newly built residential estates, not to mention distance to local shopping centres, schools or sports grounds. If you’re considering an area with fewer amenities, at the very least determine what is planned for in the future, and look for developers who are willing to make the investment in your lifestyle. Ashbury has a primary school, community activity complex, health centre and local activity centre in the proposal stage of development.
Infrastructure
Ahh, the dreaded commute. We all have to suffer it, and you don’t want any unpleasant surprises like finding your commute takes longer than expected after you’ve moved in to your new home. Take a test drive, bus trip or train ride at the time you’ll be commuting to get an accurate perspective on the commute time. Look into future infrastructure investments from state and federal government—plans for an extra train station could add value to your house and convenience to your commute in future. Ashbury is just ten minutes’ drive from the City of Geelong, and also has quick access to the stunning beaches of Barwon Heads and Torquay.
Community
We humans are social beings. And one of the most important parts of your new home will be the community in which you live. But it’s also the hardest thing to assess before you live there. A friendly welcoming community with sporting groups, kids’ activities and school communities will make your life in your new home so much more enjoyable. Whether it’s a local bridge club, running group, kids’ athletics, scout hall or men’s shed, take a good look around the area and see what may be available to help you settle in and meet the locals.
Council
Councils are a bit like teachers. Some are quite generous and others are strict! You need to know which type yours will be. Fees and administration for basic services can vary vastly from council to council. Do your homework and find out what rates and regulations your council expects of its residents before you move in. If you have a pet, it’s a good idea to check out what ownership restrictions may apply. Ashbury’s council is the City of Greater Geelong, which offers a number of services, events and attractions in the local area.