New district

Choosing your new neighbourhood in 5 steps

Living, working or doing business in a new area is determined by a number of criteria, which should be carefully considered. Know why you want to move and then follow our 5 steps to choosing your new neighbourhood! All this by asking yourself the right questions: it will help you see things more clearly. 

Why am I moving to another region or neighbourhood?

More than 700,000 French people change region every year and more than one in two dream of doing the same within five years. The reasons for this are: a better balance between professional and family life and, often, a warmer climate. But beware: there is nothing trivial about such a project and, above all, each main reason often corresponds to a lifestyle and therefore a type of neighbourhood!

Working
Leaving Paris for a new professional start... Living environment, transport, rhythm: it is possible to win on almost every level. However, it is important not to over-idealise.

J'entreprends
Incubators, competitions, technical and financial support: the regions are vying with each other to attract entrepreneurs. They highlight their economic assets, their personalised support and a certain art of living.

Business
Rather than favouring a particular climate or region, some people are more interested in finding a place that matches their values and aspirations.

If you are looking for a new home in a city that you may not know inside out, we can help you.

Not sure which district to choose?

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5 steps to follow when choosing your new neighbourhood

♦ 1st step: define the typical portrait of your new neighbourhood (ideal!)

Before you head off, make a list of what is most important to you in terms of where you live. You will probably have to make compromises: put the most important criteria at the top of your list and eliminate any neighbourhoods that do not meet them. On the other hand, be prepared to put your lower priority expectations in brackets or you may never find a place to live. So what are the main questions to ask yourself?

Do you have children or are you planning to have children?

As a parent, one of the first things to do when looking at a neighbourhood is to find out which schools your children will attend. If you are single, proximity to a highly rated public high school or college will increase the resale value of your home.

How willing are you to commute?

If you plan to drive to work, it is best to live near an access road. If you plan to use public transport, look for areas with good transport links.

Do you want to live in a new district or in the historic centre?

The historic city centre areas have a lot of character but are often expensive and noisy. Buildings in these areas often require extensive and regular maintenance. Newer neighbourhoods are by definition more modern and environmentally friendly, but are usually far from the city centre.

What about your spouse?

Because moving house should be a team choice, don't hesitate to answer these first questions together and then compare your answers... For a new stage of life to be successful, all the parties involved must be in agreement with the life choices decided upon! This is all the more important if your partner decides to follow you in this adventure: at the beginning, he or she may not have a professional or personal activity equivalent to the one he or she is leaving.

It is essential that he/she likes your new life so that everyone is happy with the change. 

♦ 2nd step: target your search geographically

If you are moving to a new city, you should already have an idea of where you want to live. Identify the neighbourhoods closest to your expectations.

If you are moving to a new city, the first thing you need to do is to decide in which part of the city you want to live. For example, if your future workplace is in the south, start with the southern districts, etc. This is especially important in a large city.

However, it is not always easy to find a map with the different districts of a city. To help you, some cities provide access to their data and in particular their geographical data. For example, for new Nantes residents you will find the following map showing the different districts and their perimeters in the city of Nantes. A good start to delimit your search area!

♦ 3rd step: consult the locals to choose your neighbourhood

This survey phase should enable you to identify the 3 or 4 most interesting districts. Do your initial research on the internet and ask our Ambassadors for their objective recommendations! 

Choose an Ambassador who obviously has a lifestyle that suits you. It makes sense that you have different desires at 20 than at 50, and different needs when you move alone or with your family.

♦ Step 4: Visit the neighbourhoods and look for clues

Now it's time to get out there and walk around the areas you selected in the previous step. If you live too far away from your destination city to organise a scouting trip, you may want to ask one of our local residents to help you: he or she will be more efficient and thorough in his or her research and will save you valuable time in organising your orientation. Below is a list of tips and tricks to help you select your neighbourhood.

What was your first impression of the area?

Did the inhabitants seem friendly and happy? Were the shopkeepers friendly? Did you find the houses pretty and well maintained? You are going to live in your neighbourhood for many years, so it might as well be a source of positive energy! 

Meet the neighbours!

Ask them what they like best about their neighbourhood, but also what 2 or 3 things bother them the most. Are they aware of any upcoming development work? New buildings? Think about asking the town hall as well. They will give you a clearer idea of the possibilities for development in the neighbourhood...

Think about your daily life, the different moments of the day.

If you can't go to work without your morning espresso, you need a coffee shop nearby. If you have a dog, where do you walk it? If you love Italian food, is there a good pizzeria not too far away?...Are the roads congested during rush hour or after school? Are there a lot of people hanging around in the evening? 

The noise of the tram, the nearby hospital, trains or bars may be reassuring during the day but what about at bedtime? Go to school. Even if you don't have children, it's always instructive to see what the locals are like. A good way to get an opinion is to observe parents dropping their children off at school.

♦ Step 5: Make sure you can find accommodation that fits your wallet

You have chosen your neighbourhood. But can you afford to live there? Take the time to assess your financial situation and ask our teams for an idea of the price per m2 in the various districts.

You have just read our 5 steps to choose your new neighbourhood! Are you afraid you won't be able to manage everything on your own? You don't know your new city and don't know how to choose your neighbourhood? Call on our ambassadors! They can help you discover the city. But also to find the house of your dreams, to carry out the administrative steps... They can help you in your choice by advising you on the choice of the ideal district for you. To find out more, contact us or visit www.switch-up.fr