When moving to a downtown location you want to find the home features that are best. This comes in two fold. You want to find features that will maximize your comfort and livability. Additionally, you want to find features that will increase the resellability of the property.
Today we are going to cover some of the best features for a downtown location. One thing to keep in mind is that some of these features can easily be added to a place while others need to have them built in or require significant work.
A Home That Appeals To You
Unless you are buying a home that is purely an investment property, you should be looking for a home that appeals to you. If a home doesn’t appeal to you it will likely only ever be just a place to live. You won’t truly feel at home. So keep that in mind as you look through this list and look at downtown locations.
Secure Parking
People who live in a downtown location know that traffic and street parking are two things you don’t want to deal with. A third is worrying about your car getting broken into. If you are living in any downtown location you should have some form of secure parking. This may take the form of a parking garage, a fenced parking area, or something else.
The best kind of secure parking is one that doesn’t give any method of access to your car but also that hides it from view. By removing it from view you are reducing the temptation that it poses.
Storage
People who are looking for a home in a downtown area are often tired of finding tiny studios or small one bedrooms. A majority of people around the world look for homes that offer them a good amount of storage. Storage is something that you can add to some degree but you are also limited to a degree.
High Quality HVAC System
HVAC is important in a downtown area where it can get very hot during the summer. Sun reflects off the large number of windows and bodies are constantly crowding around. During the winter, the buildings have the opposite effect and seem to pull all of the heat away. A reliable HVAC system will be able to keep the whole downtown location at the desired temperature.
But a high quality HVAC system does more than just moderate the temperature. It helps to remove pollution from your home air by running it through a filter. This filter may need to be cleaned regularly but in areas with heavy traffic and smog, clean air can be heavenly.
Greenery On The Property
Surrounded by a downtown in most areas means lots of buildings and cars. A property with a greenery, even just a little will stand out. That greenery won’t just give you curb appeal, it will give you an escape from the city around you. Trees and a garden are a good example. If you are in a condo then plants on the patio and house plants will still work. But many high quality condos will also have gardens or landscaping to help with the atmosphere.
Washer And Dryer
No one wants to schlep their laundry around the city to a public laundromat. Even if your clothes do get clean, they will just get the city on them again as you walk home. Not to mention that you will have to have quarters and spend time out of your home.
A lot more condos are starting to have washers and dryers and most houses have them already.
Energy Efficiency
In a downtown area it can be pretty hard to go green. There are small things you can do to offset your footprint but unless you have a house that you can work on, it can be hard to do a lot. To help make up for that reducing your energy used can be a big benefit.
Look for a place that has energy efficient appliances and energy efficient design. If it doesn’t have this, try to find a place that you can work on to increase the energy efficiency of. This will also help to increase the resale value.
Safety And Security
Downtown areas aren’t always full of crime but they tend to have their problems. Buying a place with safety and security in mind is always a good idea. Look for a place that has good doors and windows for starters. Exterior lighting is also a good idea for when you are living in a downtown location.
Safety and security is one of those things that can be added on after a purchase but only if you have a house or townhouse. For those that are looking to purchase a condo, you should look for one that already has these systems in place.
In addition to safety in the form of devices and design, you want to take into account the location. Different areas of downtown neighborhoods tend to have different levels of safety. Finding the one that is right for you is key. The safer the area, the better the resale value of the home.
Privacy
An essential part to living in any downtown area is a sense of privacy. There are people are all around you but that doesn’t mean that you have to feel that way. Before you purchase a home or a condo make sure that it either has a sense of privacy or you can establish one.
Use greenery, curtains, shades, fences, and other methods to establish privacy.
Avoid Outrageous Fees
Some downtown HOAs have ridiculous fees and dues. For some it is almost as much as their mortgage. Avoid places with large fees like this. Not only will it be frustrating for you but when it comes time to sell the place that might make it all the more harder to sell.
Finding the right home downtown is more than just architecture. You want to find a home with the features that you want and need. The features on this list are some of the most important, as found by people over the years. Keep in mind that these are specifically features that should be sought for those looking for a downtown location.