When looking for a rental apartment, there are so many things you’ll want to consider. Location is usually at the top of the list. Where you live can have a massive impact on your personal health and happiness, because it’s not just the interiors of an apartment that matter, it’s also the community surrounding your new home.
Living in London offers an unparalleled lifestyle, with so many different cultures, landmarks and attractions across the city, and these give each borough a truly distinct vibe. Whether you’re living north or south of the River Thames, and whichever borough you choose to live in, there are plenty of location-related specifics you’ll want to consider.
You’ll Need to Be Able to Get Around
You may find a beautiful apartment, only to realise that the transport links are less than ideal. Enduring a lengthy commute every day can have a real impact on your lifestyle. Living in London, you’ll have multiple modes of transport to choose from – buses, the underground, overground trains, taxis, or even grabbing a bike and cycling about – but if you find an apartment that takes a 90-minute bus journey or five separate Tube lines to get into work every day, it’s unlikely to be well-suited.
Living in an area of London that makes it easy for you to travel to work and other places in your regular routine can enhance your quality of life. Cutting down on the time spent on public transport will give you more time to do what you enjoy most, or even just let you have a bit more of a lie-in in the mornings!
You’ll Want to Check the Neighbourhood Vibe
The community you live in is of vital importance. Visiting the area you’re thinking of moving to, both during the day and at night, will give you a better picture of the neighbourhood’s overall vibe. An area might look idyllic and quiet during the daytime, until you realise there is a noisy nightclub right around the corner, or that it’s the main route of passage for traffic and emergency vehicles.
Taking a trip there will also allow you to see how safe the area feels and how well-presented the nearby streets and other buildings are. Living in an area with a sense of community and pride can provide peace-of-mind and ensure long-standing happiness.
If you want to become a more active part of your local community, it’s worth looking out for regular events that take place in the area, or clubs that you can sign up to – for example, networking events, book clubs or sports teams.
You’ll Want to Find All the Local Hotspots
Wherever you live in London, you’re guaranteed to be close to a shop of some kind, but what really differentiates each London borough is the selection of independent businesses that thrive there. From the cafés, pubs and restaurants, to the gifty shops and cultural hotspots they house, this mixed bunch of places is what gives each borough its own personality.
When you’re looking around an area, it’s worth also exploring what’s going on and what places you could potentially live near. For example, with Upper Street running right through it, Islington is home to a vibrant social scene with a whole selection of bustling bars, cafés, eateries and gig venues, making it an up-and-coming area for young professionals.
On the other hand, Bethnal Green is right on the doorstep of the trendy and eclectice boroug of Schoreditch, offering a mix of sophisticated bars and restaurants, alongside a bold creative-industries scene.
If you want to be outside the immediate hub of London, look at suburbs along the River Thames such as Uxbridge, West Drayton and Maidenhead.
You’ll Need to Adapt Your Lifestyle Routine
Moving home can massively shake up your daily routine. Beyond planning a new travel route to and from your office, you’ll also need to consider all the things that play an important part in your day-to-day.
Whether that’s a local park to walk your dog in, a scenic route to go running along, a fitness centre and gym to help you maintain your exercise regime, a library to study from, or a good school (if you have children), it’s worth figuring out how you can adapt your current routine to a new location.
You’ll Want to Look Around the Apartment Block
One small factor that’s easy to miss when it comes to apartment-searching is actually looking around the apartment block itself. Pay attention to where the apartment is – if it’s on the ground floor, near the stairway, or by the lift, it may be noisier with other residents walking past; on the flip side, a high-up apartment might not be suitable if you are afraid of heights or dislike travelling in a lift.
At Essential Living, all of our apartment blocks come with additional spaces – including communal areas, gyms, quiet study spots, games rooms and shared outdoor spaces – to enhance your renting lifestyle, so it’s worth looking for something that offers these.
Finding the Right Apartment For You
The area you live in has a huge impact on your lifestyle. Finding the right apartment that’s in the right location to suit your wants and needs doesn’t need to be difficult. We have a range of studio apartments, as well as 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed apartments in trendy locations across London, from Islington to Bethnal Green, and further afield in Maidenhead.
All of our apartment blocks have been designed with location specifically in mind, so you can enjoy the best of what London has to offer.
If you’re interested in renting with us or simply want to find out more, fill in our online enquiry form or contact a member of our team by calling 0800 2100 200.
