Home buying Location! Location! Location!

Buying a home in Central Minnesota

Follow along as we look at several reasons why St Cloud and the surrounding area the perfect place to buy a home. Firstly we will look at why location matters, then proceed to location and how it effects value. Afterward we will check out Location and amenities, then location and comfort. Finally proceeding through to location and stability. Location matters so chose wisely.

It’s Location X3 when buying property!

When you are buying a real estate one thing always comes up first, location. It does not matter if you are buying a home or buying a office complex, buying an apartment building or buying your first rental property; when you buy real estate of any kind location matters.

Location matters!

Location is often repeated as the top 3 answers to the question “What is most important when looking to buy a home?” In most instances once we settle on a location we have little to no control over what is outside around our home. So the first thing you need to settle on is where you want to be located.  Remember you are buying that location along with the home.

The location makes a difference in the value, amenities, comfort and stability. First what is around the home is as important as what is in the home and it is a part of the process that when you buy or sell you will not have direct control over, so it is good to get to know the location, become well informed and make an educated decision about where exactly you want to be in an area.

Location and Value

One person might find a bus stop within a block of their home to be a real asset as they do not like to drive. Yet another person might not want to live on a street that is so busy it is a bus route. Pick a home that suits your needs.

Do you need great schools for the children? Are you looking for a pet friendly city? Do you like the theater? Are you a shopper? Or are you a gardener and is there good soil in the area? Do you want water access for your boat? Is it a busy loud area or calm and quiet?

Value now and in the future

Being close to a desirable location can make life easier for you and help you acquire buyers when it comes time to sell. Whereas a home being next to the city dump might make it harder to find a willing buyer. It might be even more difficult on a windy day.

People also value things differently too, so think about what you want first. Then afterward make a list. Well thought out decisions that clearly defining what you want often begin with a list. Make sure you take the time to write down what you want in and around your new house. This will help you make the best decision for you.

Location and Amenities

Think about what you love in life. Are you a country music fan? If your new location has the best honky-tonk bar in the state nearby that would be an amenity that is a bonus. Do you love opera and there is a top notch opera house that draws in the most beautiful well trained talent?  If so then that is another plus.

Think about what you love and what makes you happy. You can seriously improve your quality of life by just surrounding your self with the things you love. Seek out what makes you happy and then locate yourself there. When the time comes to sell these same amenities that helped you pick the location you chose will help you find a buyer too.

Finding your happy place and making it home

It is easy to know what is around in an area these days with the internet and a simple internet search. If you are a fisherman who loves nothing better than frying up a nice big fat walleye then you should look to the DNR website. It is easy to see which lakes have the best walleye or bass or trout fishing. Plus if you have a seasoned professional helping you just might pick up some local tidbits not yet found on the web. Especially a professional who loves the area and picked the location you are looking at over 30 years ago.

Location and Comfort

In the United States we are fortunate enough that we are not talking about access to clean water when we discuss comfort. When we think about comfort in the US, generally we are thinking about the temperature and the climate. During the summer months we are generally talking about 74 and sunny or hotter. Being able to go to the lake, or to the beach or the pool might be all you need to make the hot comfortable.

In the winter months Minnesotans are comfortable with 20 – 30 degrees. It is lovely with a light snow; perfect for ice skating or skiing or building snowmen and snowmobiling. We do have about 2 weeks per year where the temperatures get very cold. Sometimes even dropping well below 0.  Where as places in Florida have the complete opposite with weeks at the other end of the thermostat.

Too hot or too cold or just right

Think about what falls within your comfort level are you more comfortable with heat and humidity or cold? Do you have allergies to certain kinds of pollen that would make life very uncomfortable? Would you like to live in an area generally void of poisonous spiders and snakes?

Here we love the comfort of cold winters giving us the chance to ice fish and snow mobile or just get out and play. People who live in central Minnesota have found the perfect balance. When it gets to cold out we have been known to enjoy a nice fire and stay comfortable inside. While thinking about location and your comfort take into account the seasons and how they effect you.

Location and Stability

Stability is important when looking to buy a house, make it a home and build a life a life in it. Because of this the stability of an area in an important item to consider when looking at location. Does the area offer employment? Is there a strong sense of community? Do you see that people graduate and stay in the area to raise their own children? Are there schools offering higher education?

Higher education and surrounding business to support the graduates is important to the health of an area. Take for instance St Cloud with 5 local colleges in the area including SCSU, SCTCC, Rasmussen, plus there is the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. Each of these schools have courses that support one of the area’s largest employers CentraCare.

The St Cloud Area has many communities to find a place to call home

Are businesses expanding in the area? Are people moving to the area? Is it growing and vibrant? When you begin to answer all these questions you will find making your choice of location becomes easy. The next part of home buying is easy, as homes of all sizes, shapes and colors can be found in almost any location. Make your decision based on what you can control – you can change the price and the condition but generally you can not change the location.

As I build my blog centered on St, Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, and Saint Joseph you will find a ton of great reasons why this is a perfect place to call home. When you start to consider your new “location! location! location!” you need to put central Minnesota on your list. Check back here for additions to our list of great reasons to pick central Minnesota when you buy your home:

• Buying a Home in Pet Friendly St Cloud
• Veterans are Buying a Home in St Cloud
• Buying a Home Near Clemens Gardens
• Buying a Home in St Cloud & Granite Foundations
• Historic Home Buying In St Cloud MN
• Quality of Life in St Cloud – Theater
• Selling a Home in Winter Top 5 Tips
• Happiness in St Cloud Beaver Island Trail
• Buying a Kiddie Condo in St Cloud
• Secure homes & Safe neighborhoods
• New listing South Side Charmer
• Don’t Make These 5 Common Mistakes When Selling Your Home
• Is Your Agent Really YOUR Agent? Agency Relationships in Real Estate Transactions Explained
• Your Real Estate Agents 6 Fiduciary Duties

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