PROPERTY NEWS - Have you ever pulled into your driveway at home and suddenly realised that you have no recollection of the journey you had taken from the office to your doorstep? That’s because your routines can become so familiar that you are able to do them in auto-pilot mode.
The problem arises when you go to unlock your front door and your keys no longer fit the locks…
“We have heard stories about homeowners who have become so used to certain routines that they find themselves driving back to their previous homes purely out of habit. Whether you’ve moved to a new suburb, new province or a new country, settling into a foreign environment can be one of the more challenging aspects of purchasing property,” says Adrian Goslett, Regional Director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa.
Luckily, technology has been a great help in this regard. To avoid driving auto-pilot to the wrong house, you can now set your new address as your default home address on your map app on your smartphone and allow it to guide you home safely until you become familiar enough with the new route. As a bonus, the app should also alert you to accidents or roadworks en route and advise you on alternate paths.
Search engines are also great for finding local supermarkets, nearby restaurants, doctors and other necessary facilities. But, as great as the internet can be in this respect, nothing beats a personal recommendation from somebody who has been there before and can attest to the quality of the goods or service it provides.
You can use this as an excuse to break the ice with your neighbours by asking them where they do their shopping and where they recommend going for a great dinner.
Alternatively, Goslett suggests that homeowners also chat to their estate agent to find out about the hot spots in their new neighbourhoods. “Particularly in this age when there are less expensive online listing services are readily available, one of the key reasons that buyers and sellers choose to work through real estate agents instead of going it alone is for the expert knowledge the agent has about the suburb.
"What’s more, a good agent is likely to have existing partnerships and relationships with local businesses and can get you good deals or client referral benefits at these establishments,” explains Goslett.
Ultimately, the only way to get to know an area is to go out and explore it. “If you choose to stick to the familiar, you will be missing out on a whole host of new experiences. Many of us are creatures of habit so, while it might be daunting to try new places and explore new things, moving can force homeowners to get out of their old routines and add some variation to their lives. Buyers should never allow fear of the unfamiliar prevent them from experiencing the excitement of discovering something new,” Goslett concludes.
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