|
Important Amenities
When you first think about
moving, you never really expect that one of the first things you’ll miss, are the
things you took for granted when you lives in your old home.
For instance, my old
roommate used to love eating regular pasta, nothing special just tomato sauce
and noodles and such. The thing was we
lived in a Korean neighborhood, and he had several Korean spices that he used
to augment the pasta.
He ended up moving to
another city where there was no Korean community to speak of. He was dying for these spices and he just
didn’t know where to find them in the city.
He checked the phone book, he used the Internet, he even randomly called
Korean homes (he said any one with the last name Kim is a good bet) pretended
to have the wrong number, then probe them for information on Korean cooking.
Eventually he just sent me
$200 and I bought several cases of each spice and shipped them to him.
You may be wondering why I
just told you that long convoluted story.
Well, it’s to demonstrate a simple point. We need our amenities.
The following is a list of
amenities that you should make sure is available in any new community you are
thinking about moving to. You should
also be sure to consider how accessible these amenities are, and if they are
affordable. While not all of us would
consider ourselves picky, there is at least one amenity out there that we cannot
live without.
Grocery Stores:
If we are what we eat then you’d better be sure
that there is a good place to buy the food that you like, where your
moving. Don’t make the same mistake that my old roommate did, and move to
a cultural wasteland, if you like kimchi.
If you like specialty food and organic food,
you’ll need to scout the area for these things. You should also take into account how convenient these
stores are. Are you really going
to feel like going across town for some coriander?
The grocery store also has to be
affordable. This means something
different to everyone. But when
you calculate that you’ll be buying pretty much all of your food there,
this could get fairly costly over five, ten twenty years.
Golf Clubs
Many Americans like playing golf, and finding a
golf club that is suited to you can be essential. Many new upscale communities in the
southwest and east coast have their own private golf courses. These are usually free, and are
included in the cost of the home.
Golf Clubs can be a great way to meet your
neighbors and form a community around physical activities.
If you potential community does not have a golf
course make sure there is a course you can play on in the vicinity. Try and locate sponsors for the more
private clubs, and check out the green fees and traffic of the more public
courses.
Parking
If you have ever lived in New York City you know
one undisputable fact: there is nowhere to park in Manhattan…nowhere. This can turn into something more than
just an inconvenience. It can cost
you lots of money, lots of time, and even your safety.
If you are a single woman make sure that the
parking you find is close and not isolated. While we would like to think that we are safe, there are
people out there who want to do harm, and we must err on the side of
caution.
Also, parking on the street is acceptable, but
in the winter is can be a hassle trying to dig your car out of the
snow. Parking on the street can
also be a bit of a pain, as city by-laws often require you to move the
automobile on certain days of the week. This is for the purpose of snow
removal and cleaning, and the authorities will have no qualms about towing
your ride if it gets in their way.
Laundry
If cleanliness is next to godliness then you
should live next to a Laundromat. This is of course if you do not have a
washer and dryer in your home (which most do these days). Check to see if the Laundromat has a
quarter dispensing machine and also, one that sells detergent.
Many new apartment buildings and Condos have
their own private Laundromat that will call up to your room when you
laundry is done. This (besides
being adorably futuristic) can also save you time. Time you could be using to watch
Soccer, or as the Europeans call it, Football. Crazy.
Schools
While maybe not an amenity in the strict sense
of the word, a convenient place for your children to go to school one less
thing that you have to worry about, and really, don’t we already have
enough to worry about?
Schools can also provide a recreational haven
during the summer and in the evenings.
Most schools have large fields for soccer and football, as ell as
basketball courts and tennis courts.
All for free. Well not
totally for free, w do all pay taxes.
Parks
This is the one thing that people always
reference when they talk about amenities.
Parks can grant you a lush lacuna to walk pets, have a BBQ or just
hang out in the sun and relax.
Larger parks also have zoo’s and large ponds for
sailing. As publicly funded spaces
you’d be a fool not to enjoy them.
You did after all pay for them. Just look at a map when you are
researching a new neighborhood and you’ll see where some parks are.
If you are single, parks can also be a great
place to meet people. Most people
are more relaxed in a park, often more relaxed than in a singles bar.
If you are just looking on a map for a park, be
sure that you actually go and check that park out in person, and maybe try
and talk to some people who live near it.
While parks can attract families and lover, they also attract some
more sinister elements. At night
parks can be an conspicuous place to do drugs and rob people. Therefore the park would have the
opposite affect on your neighborhood.
So, whether dodgy or delightful, a park can radically change the
value of your home.
Movie Theater
We all like going to the movies, so look around
and see if there is one around.
Also, make sure it plays the movies you want to see. Don’t go to Cineplex if you are looking
for Aboriginal silent films. Most
cities have at least one alternative theatre, it just may be hard to find.
Gas Stations
Unless you are taking the bus or train to work
everyday, a gas station is one of the most crucial and often overlooked
neighborhood amenities. It would
be ridiculous if you had to drive four miles just to get gas.
It is also risky, seeing as if you are low on
gas in the first place you might to have enough in the tank to make it to
the gas station. How ironic.
Convenience Stores
It’s four in the morning and you NEED guacamole
Doritos. We’ve all been there, no
need to feel ashamed. You need now
is a variety store you can walk to, that’s open 24/7. Many suburbs don’t have convenience
stores, so you should be wary.
Also, it can be dangerous to get in your car if you are still half
asleep.
Hospitals
With transportation as good as it is, and with
hospital cut backs being what they are, the chances of you living near a
hospital are slim, and the benefit negligible. You may think this is crucial but if you are lucky you probably
only go to the hospital once every couple years. Also, if you are truly,
sick, it’s not like you’ll be walking to the hospital anyway.
It’s the kind of amenity that often gets
referenced in a home listing, but has very little actual value. Really, the only immediate value is
that hospitals are quiet zones, so you will not have large trucks blasting
down your street.
Shopping
Shopping is great, and it’s a great way to kill
time. ‘Near shopping’ also looks
great on a real estate listing. So
if you are a clotheshorse, or you just like browsing. Get a handle on what kind of
conspicuous consumption you can find in your neighborhood.
Bars and Clubs
Whether you are going out for a drink with your
coworkers, or you are drowning your sorrows in a pint of Rolling Rock a
bar or club within walking distance (or stumbling distance) is
essential.
It also means that you may have more company; as
people drop buy to congregate before a night of revelry or stagger back
for some fun fueled after-party action.
To discuss this topic Click Here to go to our Online Forum |
