8 common mistakes when choosing your neighbourhood 2
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Whether you are renting or buying a house, we can all agree on one thing - the process of choosing your perfect neighbourhood can be incredibly challenging.

For all those homebuyers turned investors out there, the next few years will present exciting opportunities. Hence, we can’t stress enough to invest in high yield, positive cash-flow properties, which are located in the right neighbourhood, then hold them for long-term income. Here are some of the common mistakes you should avoid when choosing a neighbourhood.



1. Not Asking For People’s Opinion

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If you think that opinions of others are superfluous, you are wrong. The last thing you want is to have a lousy neighbourhood based on your own judgment. This might cause a problem when you have decided to move on and resell the property.

At PropSocial, besides the information presented, we also provide honest opinions that have been shared by our users. Apart from that, you can also look for an agent to assist you. He/she may be able to give you more insights on the location and property preferred. This will help you save more time so that you can focus on other things.



2. Not Weighing Your Financial Ability

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Let’s face it — affordability is always a factor, a big one. Here’s what happened when you spend money on a neighbourhood you can’t afford: you will carry a long-term financial burden.

Putting together a checklist of all the things you want for your dream neighbourhood is the smartest things to do. Make a list of neighbourhoods by price range before looking for a place. Do some soul-searching about your priorities and you will eventually have a solid image of what you are looking for.

Don’t fall victim to the misconception that high-priced neighbourhood is always the best and go-to choice. Not true!



3. Not Thinking Long Term with Lifestyle Consideration

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Too many homebuyers tend to hastily pick their neighbourhood for a quicker solution based on their current circumstances. Most of the time they’ll end up letting the place go because the neighbourhood doesn’t fit their lifestyle. When you buy a home, you are buying more than just a building. You are purchasing a lifestyle.

So ask yourself some of these questions to get you started: is the neighbourhood high-maintenance? Is it good for strolling, walking, and other leisure activities? Is privacy your key priority? Are there any future developments around the neighbourhood that will disrupt your peaceful life or view? Would you prefer a more upscale lifestyle in KLCC, Bangsar or Mont Kiara?



4. Too Far and Inconvenient

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More time commuting means less time for doing things you love. As a result, distance from school, work, daily activities, and other avenues of life should be one of your top priorities.

Schools are crucial when we talk about the neighbourhood’s safety and value. Security and property values increase significantly with a good school system in the neighbourhood. If you opt for an outstanding school district for your kids, such as the expat neighbourhood, and wouldn’t mind paying for a premium, this should be one of your first concerns. We all know that you want your little one to have access to the best education possible.



5. High Crime Zone

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Safety is a big deal when it comes to choosing your ideal location - Everyone wants to feel safe and be safe. Having said that, a home that isn’t located in a top-notch location doesn’t necessarily mean it’s dangerous.

To avoid getting yourself into a mess, you can look into local police reports of the frequency and the kind of crime that have occurred. You can also do a search on the internet. There are plenty of information out there.



6. Not Family-friendly

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Are there any schools nearby? What are the demographics in and around your neighbourhood? Are your neighbours mostly families? Refer to local statistics reports to get a big picture of what to expect.

Demographics can include ages, income and family structure. Always pick the good location with great maintenance — because if you wouldn’t want to own it yourself, how could you expect to sell it or rent it to someone else?

Like what we have mentioned in no.4, schools matter even if you don’t have kids, and if you abhor bars and nightlife, tranquillity with security is what you want to look for. Besides, a home in a good school district holds onto their value and family-friendliness better than other less regarded districts.



7. Not Visiting the Neighbourhood

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It is essential not to only view the property, but to also visit your potential neighbourhood. Bombarded with all sorts of information, we tend to romanticise the place we are going to settle.

Drive around the neighbourhood during the different time of the day to get a feel for what it would be like to move there, and if they meet your standards. You can even test out the rain transport nearby, and visit surrounding amenities. Common sense tells us that if there are a lot of broken windows, vandalism, abandoned buildings, and high fences, that’s probably a bad sign — avoid this area at all costs.

Don’t forget to talk to your potential neighbours, to get a sense of what they think about their own neighbourhood. This is also the perfect chance to foster a relationship with them.


All in all, finding the perfect neighbourhood definitely requires some serious legwork, but it’s all worth it when you are able to come home fuss-free every night and feel safe. There’s always something for everyone. By asking the right questions to yourself and considering all the suggestions above, be ready to reap the benefits of the neighbourhood you have always desired. 



(Written by: Sonder, 21st Feb 2018)


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ya, that's why, decision making shouldn't be based on majority but doing more research.

Own dp small

yea, Making sure the decision is made for long term includes all the necessary as you will need to consider the children's education, nursery, day care, adult's working area, public transportation convenience, security of that area, and etc

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agreed with you john.

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@admin_ps thanks for sharing