Consider Your Commute
Consider Your Commute: The suburbs were once considered the ideal way to escape the problems of the city. Gas was cheap, homes with large lawns reduced the need for city parks, shopping centers displaced trips to the city, and commuting by car to work became a way of life. Fast-forward 50 years, and things have changed. Roads are crowded and gas is expensive. As commutes get longer, commuters are finding they are missing precious time with their families as well as risking their health in sedentary traffic.
Commuting Today
According to the U.S.Census only 5 percent of workers use public transportation, which means most of these commuters are driving their own cars. With the cost of gas at an all time high, working families are finding that the cost of commuting is making living in the suburbs less affordable. Even though suburban homes are typically far less than expensive city homes, the cost of commuting may outweigh these differentials.
Considerations
Clock your commute. If you’re looking at homes in the suburbs so you can get more house for the money, consider your commute time. Go to and from the house you want to buy at the same times of day that you would if that were your home.
Map your activities. Write down other places where you need to go on a regular basis – school, worship services, ball practice, grocery shopping, and more. Drive those circuits at the same times you’d likely go to and from home. You may find that your commute to work is easy, but the commute to school is tougher.
Do the research. Add up the costs per mile and you may be surprised at how expensive your commute really is. Look at walkability scores in the neighborhood where you want to buy. Ask your real estate professional about transportation – bike routes, trains, and other ways to get around. Share your other activities with your agent so he or she can get a good idea of your goals.
Be flexible. Work with your real estate professional on ideas and solutions. She may know a neighborhood that you haven’t considered or don’t know about that could give you a reasonable commute and is comfortably close to other places you need to go, too. You may find that you’re better off moving closer to work, or closer to the school you want. It could mean a change in lifestyle from what you were considering before, such as embracing urban living over suburbia.
At the very least, considering your commute will help you decide where you want to live as well as how you want to live.
