Have you considered convenience?
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to finding the right rental to call home, but one factor that shouldn’t be overlooked is convenience.
By that, we mean how accessible is the property in terms of public transport or how walkable is it to the amenities that make your life easy, such as shops, medical facilities or local education?
Here’s why you need to consider ‘convenience’ when searching for a rental and what exactly to look for.
Why convenience matters
The convenience of a property has a major impact on your lifestyle.
If the residence is located in the right location and offers easy access to the amenities you need, it saves you valuable time and also allows you to become part of a local community.
This concept of convenience might include walkability to the amenities you need, access to a road network which provides the ability to commute, or access to public transport that enables you to easily get where you need to go.
The amenities you need
When looking for a rental, consider the amenities you will need. Depending on what stage of life you’re at, that might include:
- Local shops
- Nearby medical facilities
- Local education (primary schools, high schools, or university/TAFE)
- Proximity to your workplace
Road networks
If you have a vehicle and driving is your preferred mode of transport, look for access to road networks around the areas where you intend to rent.
Do these networks allow you to easily commute to the places you frequently attend? Is there a build-up of traffic at certain times of the day? Or are there tolls that could make commuting expensive?
Each of these factors is worth considering, particularly if you’re likely to be commuting to and from a workplace at peak times of the day.
Public transport
Perhaps you don’t drive, maybe you have teenagers who need the autonomy of being able to get around themselves, or you might reside in a city where traffic is an issue. In these instances, access to public transport is a must.
When looking for a rental, consider the public transport available in the area, such as train stations, bus routes etc.
It also pays to investigate the times these services run until. For example, if you work nights, you might require access to public transport late in the evening or in the early hours of the morning.
Walkability
Walkability refers to how easy it is to walk to the amenities you need. For example, can you easily walk to the local shops, bus stop, train station, school etc?
When assessing possible rentals, it’s a good idea to factor this in, including looking at the footpaths or walking tracks available in the area.
As part of this, also take into account how safe you would feel using these footpaths and walking tracks.
Oh and if you’re looking for a free tool to assist, the website www.walkscore.com allows you to type in an address and receive a score out of 100 indicating how walkable that area is.
Meanwhile, real estate portals such as Homely also have information about the convenience and community feel of specific suburbs.
How we can help
Our experienced property managers pride themselves on establishing great relationships with both rental occupiers and owners.
We manage every property as if it were our own and you can learn more about our property management services here.
Alternatively, if you are looking to rent a property, you can view the properties we currently have available here.
