Using a local map, start at your job and work your way out from that point. Decide how much commute time you are willing to put up with and if you want to use public transportation. Your spouse may need to remain close to his or her job also, so you may want to look at the same items for your spouse’s job. The best possible solution is to find a neighborhood that has access to both public transportation and roads to be able to drive to either work location. That will give you a wide circle of neighborhoods around your job. Now start shrinking that circle.
Look at the particular needs of your family. You and your family may need to remain close to certain things or people. You may want
to stay close to elderly parents
or relatives. You may need to stay close to certain hospitals or places for medical care.
Next look at what you and your family need in a different neighborhood. If your children are into sports, you may want to look for an area that has several opportunities for sports and supports these activities. You may also want to be in an area that has a close house of worship for your religion. Look at the schools you need now and in the future. A reality check here, in today’s downsizing-outsourcing economy, is that you cannot be guaranteed that the job you hold today will always be there. For most of us that means living close to a big city or an area where we have a better chance to get another job. When looking for a place to live, ask yourself, if you needed to find another job, would living in this area allow you access to where the most jobs are located?
Once you have looked at all these factors you should be able to narrow your choice down to several neighborhoods, areas, or cities that you will need to find more detailed information on.
