Moving Home Mortgages in Bristol

Sometimes in life you decide it’s time for a change. This could be anything from a big career change, to a small hairstyle change. In some cases, people decide that they wish to Move House in Bristol, be it from a rented home to a first bought home, or from a currently owned home to a new home, rather than Remortgaging. Here are the top ten factors to take into account when deciding where to live in and around Bristol.

1. City versus Countryside?

When it comes to choosing where to live, first of all it’s important to understand what sort of location you prefer. Do you enjoy the busy atmosphere of the city, with all the hustle and bustle? Maybe your preference is to have a more scenic, quiet location, living in the countryside? There are pros and cons to both of these types of lifestyle and it’s something you’ll need to take into consideration.

Whether you regularly make a commute to work or enjoy spending your weekends adventuring into new places, transport links can be something that is very important for many people. If you’re in the big city or a large town, chances are you’ll be surrounded by plenty of transport.

If you are further afield and in “the middle of nowhere”, you might find there to be less transport available to you. Make sure to do some research into the local transport links available and the cost of getting to where you want to go.

3. Schools & Education

If you have children of your own or plan to have any at some point in the future, then being within the catchment zone of a high school, or a choice of schools is something that might be of a higher priority than many other factors.

Local authority websites and school league tables are a great source of information for if you wish to look at a list of the schools and see which ones are the best.

4. Facilities

It’s also very important to figure out which facilities are a must-have, those that would be nice to have, and finally, those that aren’t really needed. Doing this will help you filter which properties are worth actively looking into and those that would not.

Maybe you would prefer a nearby park for the kids to play at, or a gym on your route home from work? Some are simply content with somewhere that has a bank within walking distance. It’s really up to personal preference but you need to plan ahead as to what you would like to have closely situated to your new home.

5. Friends & Family

The distance between yourself and both friends and/or family can play a crucial role in determining where you may wish to settle down.

Would you rather be close enough to help them or receive help back? Do you have the sort of relationship where they are going to be popping by every night to see how you are, or would you rather keep your distance and see them once every blue moon? These are questions you need to give some thought to.

6. Value For Money

Value for money differs from one place to another. If you’re looking to get the most of the money you are willing to put forward for a property, then it could be worth looking somewhere that’s a little cheaper and has plenty of potential for further work.

The issue with doing this is that it might mean you have to compromise on other essentials you were looking to have, like the aforementioned transport links, schools and so on. It’s not to say you definitely will, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a property that cheap, that has everything you want nearby.

7. Community

The state of the local community can sometimes make or break your experience of living in a property. If you want a small, close-knit neighborhood, then you should definitely research the area and speak to local Estate Agents.

It’s quite common these days to find that some areas even have a dedicated website or Facebook group that you can look at for a good general overview of the area. If a community’s not a big thing to you, but you still want somewhere quiet, then your time may be better spent looking for an area with a lower crime rate.

8. Jobs

If you’re looking to move home because of work commitments, then you will need to think about where your job is located and whereabouts you would prefer to station your home base. This goes back to transport links. If you’re willing to commute and you have the means to do so, being further afield might be okay, but some might prefer to stay close by, allowing for work to be within walking distance.

If you’re going to be job hunting post-move, you’ll need to do some basic research beforehand. Look if there are any business parks nearby or who some of the bigger employers in the area will be. This can give you a good idea of what opportunities may be present once you’ve settled in.

9. Property Type

There are all kinds of different types of property in the market these days. You could find yourself with an end terrace that has a lovely garden, or a modern, urban apartment with views over a vast city. It’s important to make sure that you look at the different options available to you and see which best fits your needs and style of living.

10. Investment

If you have goals of remaining within the same house for years on end, then it’s worth researching if there is any proposed investment in the area. If there is, say planned development works on a local high street or park, make sure this is going to benefit you and the lifestyle you want.

If you’re after quiet village life and something new pops up that’s designed to bring life to the area, will that bring noise, traffic, really anything that would disrupt the quiet life, to that area? It’s also worth checking if any new housing is planned to be built nearby, as an influx in newer, more up-to-date properties in the same area has the possibility to alter the value of your home.

Speak to a Mortgage Advisor in Bristol

Once you have made up your mind and decided where you wish to move, all that’s left is the matter of making an offer and then obtaining a mortgage. It’s worth getting ahead of the curve by obtaining a Mortgage Agreement in Principle prior to this stage, in order to show the seller that you are in fact serious about buying that property.

Get in Touch and one of our dedicated Mortgage Advisors in Bristol will be able to obtain an Agreement in Principle for you within 24 hours of your initial free mortgage consultation.

Date Last Edited: December 6, 2023