Needless to say, real estate is a complicated business with a lot of factors and variables to consider. One key factor to never forget when comparing properties is this: all lots are not created equally. There are many differences and it all comes down to what is best for you. Before you can make a sound decision when it comes to buying a home, you need to determine what your needs are.
Frontage refers to the area from the front of your house to the road. It can give the house a great deal of ‘curb appeal’ and to some, this is very important. Other people prefer a large backyard. This can be especially true for families with small children or people that like to entertain in their backyards.
Things have changed greatly over the years in our society. There was a time when people would spend the vast majority of time out on the front porch of their homes, thus making the frontage very important to a home’s appeal.
Gradually over time, we shifted to more of a ‘backyard society’, spending more time in the backyard with our families and less waving at neighbours out front.
It really comes down to your personal needs. If you are interested in having a hot tub or pool, than the size of the backyard will be very important to you when looking to buy a home. If ‘curb appeal’ is important, then having a large (and appealing-looking) frontage will matter to you more.
Regardless of how much our society loves their backyards, frontage is still very important when it comes to factors such as price and taxes. Homes with a large and appealing frontage can often command a premium in both of these areas.
You should also consider the future when deciding between frontage and backyard in a potential home. While you may have small children at the moment, they won’t be young forever and your needs could possibly change over the years to come.
There are many things to consider when buying a home, and frontage vs. backyards is just one of the factors to think about. Feel free to contact me to discuss your needs further. I’m here to help.
