Getting your neighbourhood right when you move abroad can make or break an expat assignment for you and your family. Choosing your new home when you move overseas is an important decision, and one every expat family hopes to get right first time.

Some expats have little choice about where they live when they move abroad, either for security reasons or because of a lack of alternative local housing. However, for those that do have the choice to make, it can be difficult to know where to start with a house search.

Help with a Home Search

If your employer is providing a relocation service for you to use, then you will already have some help and guidance choosing a neighbourhood and a property to live in. However, you will still need to form a good idea about what you want close at hand and the criteria you consider important for your living environment.

If you cannot use a relocation service then engaging an estate agent to help you is an option, as is the internet and local papers. Often employers will have either electronic or physical notice boards advertising property to let (or to buy).

Virtual tools can also be of tremendous value prior to leaving for your new country, and touring round virtual cities from the comfort of your home can give you a good insight into the neighbourhood you would like to live in. This enables you to narrow your search before you move overseas or even line up house viewings before you arrive.

Knowing What You are Looking for

Thinking carefully about the amenities you want close at hand, and the type of environment you and your family prefer to live in, will make your search for a new home easier. It will also reduce the chances of having to move again later during your expat assignment because you are unhappy in your chosen house or neighbourhood.

Cost is an important factor in choosing your neighbourhood, and knowing the rental allowance from your employer or your own budget and the leeway you have is important before you start your search. Neighbourhoods that looked good on the face of it may be ruled out solely by your financial limitations.

If you have children, think about how they will make their journey to school and where the leisure facilities suitable for their age groups are located. Similarly you and your partner also need to have a reasonable journey to work so factor this in to your house search.  Do you intend to make the most of public transport or are do you have a car at your disposal? Knowing this in advance makes a choice of neighbourhood easier.

International or Local Community

People move abroad for different reasons, and some may be happy to live in a neighbourhood dominated by expat families and couples, others would rather live in a typical local area and integrate more fully into the local community. Knowing your preference before you start your house search will help pinpoint your ideal neighbourhood.

If you wish to actively participate in the local expat community, consider in advance where these clubs are and where events are held to ensure you can reach social events accordingly.

Amenities and Environment

Some people are very clear about the area they want to live in; some have no doubt they want to live in the heart of a city whereas others want a more peaceful environment to live in. Research the neighbourhood you are interested in and find out if it is near a motorway, or directly under a flight path or beside a high-speed rail line – remember that it is all unknown territory to you.

Adding to this the type of amenities or leisure facilities you want accessible to you makes a search area narrower. Think about the location of sports clubs, restaurants, nightclubs, shopping areas, social clubs and how you can travel to these. How important is it to have these types of amenities close at hand? Do you need to be able to walk to local leisure areas such as parks and play areas?

Making sure you know what you want before you start a house search can save a lot of heartache, hassle and cost at a later stage.

Written by Amanda van Mulligen