The Location of Your New Home

If you are moving to a new area, you may want to do some research to see if it is suitable for your lifestyle. Useful information about house prices, school performance, public transport links and other amenities can be found on Rightmove.

The checklist below covers some of the most important things you need to know and where to get the information:

• Use the Government websites to find out what the council tax bandings are in the new area. The VOA website can be used for England and Wales while the SAA website is for Scotland.
• Get information on a variety of subjects including: population, crime, health and housing from the Office for National Statistics website.
• Check out the public transport links on the Transport Direct.
• Visit the Highways Agency website to check your road transport links and any plans for future road developments that may affect house prices in the future.
• Look at the Environment Agency website to find out more about the local environment; from pollution to flooding.

Find out as much as you can about a property you like using the photographs, floorplans, virtual tours, online brochures and local information that is available with most descriptions. Always call or email the advertising agent to check any missing information.

As soon as you have established the property is of sufficient interest for you, book a viewing with the agent.

Also, don't forget to take a camera and tape measure on every viewing you go on - the camera is so you can avoid having to rack your brain about which property had the lovely en-suite. With cameras built in as standard on most mobile phones, this is easier than ever. But remember to always ask permission with the agent before taking any pictures. The tape measure is for you to see if your large/favourite pieces of furniture will fit in the rooms.