Looking for a perfect neighbourhood is never easy. There is always something about a certain residential area that is not how you want it to be. One can make some adjustments to their requirements if one has to live on their own. For example, people who move to major cities on their own due to the nature of their work prefer living near their workplace. They might not be pedantic about noisy neighbours or lack of schools in the vicinity as long as they get to reach their office on time. But if you’re looking for a home for a family, expectations from a neighbourhood change significantly and you look for a house or an apartment in a family-friendly neighbourhood.
Security in a neighbourhood or proximity to places is important but that’s not all. Here we have listed some of the important features that should be on your list for a family-friendly neighbourhood.
Features To Look For In A Family-friendly Neighbourhood
Please remember that seeking a house to live in as an individual is radically different from looking for a home for two or more people, especially with children. Homebuyers with families deem it necessary to live next to decent neighbours and they don’t want to travel long distances in search of good schools, parks and playgrounds. You want to live in an area where you feel safe with your family and also when you are away from your home. When your kids grow up, you would want them to explore the area and the city and their safety will be important to you. So, here are a few key factors for such family-friendly neighbourhoods
- Crime rate
- Schools
- Parks and playgrounds
- Speed limit
- Family-oriented community
Crime Rates
You do everything you can to make your house safe for children. You set reminders for the doctor’s appointment of your kids and monitor their every move in order to keep them safe and healthy. Doing your research about the crime rate in a neighbourhood tops the list.
One of the perks of living in a gated community is that these are secure and crime-free neighbourhoods. You know people, if not closely than at least by names, living nearby and they know you. Before buying a house that you have short-listed, visit the neighbourhood yourself at different times to see how people live there. Do they go out for evening walks after sunset? Do you see kids riding their bikes in the streets? This will give you a fair idea about the area and if it is suitable for you and your family or not.
Schools
As your children grow, you look for the best schools in the city that provide quality education and a high-functioning learning environment. Imagine the school of your kids is far away from your home which is in another direction from your office.
School for your kids should only be a few minutes’ drive from your home and office so that if you have to provide pick and drop, it’s easier for you to do that. A family-friendly neighbourhood provides enough high-quality schooling options. In addition to that, you can always ask your neighbours where they send their kids to school.
Parks & Playgrounds
Physical activity is important for children. It makes them active and healthy which also ensures mental fitness. As your kids grow, they will need a bigger area to play, run and pursue the sports that interests them. For this, it is important that the neighbourhood you choose to live in has ample playgrounds and parks.
Visiting parks in the evening with your kid can also be a way of getting to know your neighbours, other families living in the area and who knows, their kids and your kids may be future best friends?
Speed Limit
Observing the speed limit on the road is highly important for your own safety as well as for others. Some drivers may not observe the speed limit in residential areas because they are less likely to receive a ticket. You may be cautious about letting your children go to parks unsupervised but they may sneak out to play on the road or ride their bicycle.
Often, to avoid traffic, some drivers choose to take narrow streets instead of main roads. This creates noise of traffic at least twice a day during rush hours and not to forget that it also increases the risk of any possible mishap. If this is the case, you either need to inform the authorities or remove it from the list of your potential livable neighbourhoods.
Family-oriented Community
You are choosing a place that qualifies as a family-friendly neighbourhood over other places closer to your friends and family. You will now need to build a new network of friends inside your new community, people who will happily talk to you about tips and tricks to be the best parent. A thriving neighbourhood will have such families who will ask you to join for an evening walk or invite you over for a dinner to know you better or invite your kids for a playdate or a birthday celebration.
So, if you are looking for such a neighbourhood, do your research and take as much time as you need since you don’t change your neighbourhood too often. If you’re looking for family-friendly neighbourhoods in Pakistan, read our guides on White Citi in Pasrur, LDA City Lahore and Falaknaz Excellency Karachi. For more information on investment options in Pakistan, keep following Zameen Blog, Pakistan’s largest property blog.
