When going house hunting, what do you look for first? Is it the wiring and plumbing? The architecture and landscaping? Or is the potential of being a fixer-upper?
Whatever it may be, unless you’re buying for a family, what may not be part of your list of home must-haves is a thriving community relationship and a sustainable approach to an eco-real estate.
In many progressive communities in the world, these two factors are ultimately deciding factors on the long-term value of a property. Such is the case seen in investment home builders in Townsville, Queensland and New Zealand.
It’s no coincidence then that Australia and New Zealand both ranked exceptionally well in the property sector of the GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) global rankings for nine years straight. In both locations, instead of building over the landscape’s features or creating isolating infrastructure, builders have chosen to embrace both.
Becoming One with Nature
Sustainability is a hot topic globally, but even where you choose to settle down can leave an environmental impact for future generations. Many builders are more aware of not only using more sustainable materials but also creating and erecting designs that are built to be adapted to their environment—not the other way around.
This feature is beautiful to property-buyers in the future, should you choose to sell in later years. For the present, this also poses to be a plus for families who would prefer a home life with the calmness of nature and the rush of urban living.
Gone are the days when it seemed that to live quietly and peacefully, you’d have to move away from the city and choose to live in more far-flung provinces.
Grow with Your Community
A thriving local economy is often the result of a united community supported by various initiatives. For example, in the previously mentioned Townsville in North Queensland, locals can enjoy world-class education, advanced healthcare, and a variety of recreational options. This is all thanks to a diverse portfolio of service centres, Australian Defence Force bases, and mining & agricultural industries that make up its economic profile.
The connectivity that the inter-woven economy that supports local and promotes trade, is bolstered strongly by housing that allows for growth and accessibility like no other.
Another example is another part of the world is the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative in Boston. Although not an affluent part of the city, its residents began an active movement in the 1980s that radically changed their neighbourhood from near-collapse to revitalised and restored.
This would not be possible if not for the urban planning which nurtured getting to now your neighbour and wanting to be part of the community, rather than what is seen in more modern neighbourhoods that seem almost detached.
It Only Gets Better with Age
The best part, perhaps? By investing in a community that cares for its people and its environment, you are buying into a property that will only continue to get more valuable over time. These communities are built to be adaptive so that regardless of the generation or the trends of the period, it will hold-up as a quality home with a booming local economy.
Regardless if this is your first home, if you’re buying for solo-living, or if it’s for the family, the best way to ensure that you’re purchasing a home and a lifestyle rather than just a house, is to look at the big picture.
