A good neighbourhood complements a home

When choosing a house, also consider security, roads, hospitals, schools and shops, writes Sarah Tumwebaze.

I once went to visit a friend who stays in Munyoyo. Getting to their house was a piece of work because there was no land mark that they would refer to that would have made it easy for me to get there.

When I finally found the house, I was very disappointed with their neighbourhood because while their house is very nice, the opposite house which was facing their gate was a grass-thatched house. Also, the road that led to their home was so bushy that you would not want to go there at night.

This is most likely not the only house of this kind. What most people think is that as long as they have a perimetre wall around their house, that will simply be enough. One thing they ignore is that when looking for a good place to live in, considering the neighbourhood is as important as choosing the house itself.

Basic considerations
According to Mr Alex Kabunga, a private Real Estate developer at Mabirizi Complex, when buying, building or looking for a house to rent, it is always important to consider the kind of neighbourhood you are going to be living in.

“When building, buying or looking for a house to rent, the leading factor should not only be the state and beauty of the property, but its surroundings are equally important because your neighbourhood will either have a positive or negative effect on your home,” Mr Kabunga explains. He adds that if the house is in a well developed area, you will be able to enjoy the benefits of such a place, but if it’s not, you will always be insecure.

A neighbourhood goes beyond the person who lives next to your house. It involves things like roads, hospitals, schools and shops. So when looking for property, consider the access to the roads, shops, health centres, the safety of the area where the property is located and the affordability of the items in that place.

When some people are looking for property, they are mainly driven by the monetary factor, “But if you have limited income, it’s important to use the help of recognised real estate brokers because these normally know where cheap houses with good neighbourhoods are. This applies to people with enough income to buy the kind of house they want,” Mr Kabuga explains.

Security factor
Besides the cost of the house, security of the area where your property will be located is important. Mr Samuel Kizito, a local defence officer and broker at Makindye, says crime rates in the neigbourhood can make you hate your new home. “So you always need to find out the crime rate in the area where you are relocating and this information can be got from the local council leaders, the area police and local defence officers if you happen to know them,” he explains.

For parents who prefer to enroll their children in schools that are nearby their homes, the real estate developer advises that you consider the quality of schools in the area where you want to relocate. He says such information can be got from local council leaders who will give you the list of schools in the area and also recommend the good ones.

Mr Kabunga discourages people from getting houses that are far off the main road because besides it being risky, especially if you come back late in the night, it is quite tiresome to walk from the main road to the house, especially if you do not have a car.

Proximity matters
He adds that if you have a choice, desist from buying property in places that have heavy traffic jam because if you are expected to be in the office by seven, you will either have to wake up very early or always be late for work.

Kabunga adds that if you choose a good neighbourhood that is well developed, you will be able to access facilities like recreational centres, shops and hospitals without any difficulty. The closer these facilities are to your home, the easier your life will be since you will not have to walk or drive long distances to get them.

According to www.enzinearticles.com, if you are investing in a home that is in a great school district and around other high-end homes, you could end up increasing your property value over the years. This means that your home could become worth far more than what you bought it for.

“Don’t forget that buying a home is an investment that can really improve over the years. If this home is in a solid piece of town, then you can be sure that the value of this property will increase. This means that you get even more than you bargained for.”

Your neighbours
Mr Kizito explains that besides looking for a good neighbourhood, you also need to be a good neighbour because we all want to live in a place where people get along with each other.

www.problemneighbours.co.uk states that it is important to introduce yourself to some of your closest neighbours as soon as you move into a new area. “Not only will they be able to give you useful advice and information about the area, you will also be able to gain a sense of what kind of issues are particularly important to the local residents which will also help you keep on the right side of things and be a new addition to the community.”

The website adds that one has a chance to get out and mingle. “Take advantage of stopping to speak to a neighbour, even if it’s only to say ‘hello’ as you are on your way to work or if you’re simply passing them on the streets as you go to the shops.”
You can consider getting involved with some local community projects or accept the odd invite to a neighbour’s party. Better still, throw the odd social gathering of your own and invite the neighbours.

Therefore, when looking for a house, you not only have to look at its beauty or its size, but also the people who live next to you and the facilities around the area. It’s also important to note that if you want to have a good neighbour, you should start by being one.