Homeownership is one of life’s monumental responsibilities, but it is also one of life’s greatest privileges.
Whether you’re just now shopping or you’ve been there for years, everyone wants to live somewhere enjoyable and affordable. With thousands of factors to consider, from finding the best homeowners insurance to finding the best schools, a home purchase is a major commitment. You’re not only committing to a single location, but also to a single property. You’re deciding the quality of your future child’s education. You’re choosing your community.While you may be understandably overwhelmed, we’re here to help. Based on cost of living and quality of amenities, here are some of the cities you may want to consider as a homeowner:
Cedar Rapids, IA
This wonderful city is a hidden gem in Middle America. Cedar Rapids has ranked in the top 10 of Livability’s Best Affordable Places to Live list for the past two years, likely due to its very low cost of living and excellent public schools, in addition to other enticing amenities. Though, if you can’t live without fresh seafood, you may be out of luck here.
Denver, CO
With rising home costs, and apparent future return on investment, Denver is the perfect place to own a home in 2017. This beautiful city is surrounded by mountains and perfect for the outdoorsy person. In addition to the surrounding nature, the industry in Denver is booming. With a combination of technology, education, medical, and nonprofit career opportunities, you really can’t go wrong!
Ann Arbor, MI
This Michigan city, best known for being home to the University of Michigan, is definitely a great place to live for longer than four years.With all the beautiful and affordable homes you can find in this city, you better be sure to find the best homeowners insurance policy to protect yourself, your family, and your property.
Overland Park, KS
This city in the Sunflower State boasts the greatest proportion of homeownership to rentership on our list. This excellent city for young families provides residents with a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, delicious cuisine, and a healthy blend of business and quality of life. Also, the city government has made a conscious effort to not overwhelm or bombard residents with too many offices or retail shops, which adds to Overland Park’s charm.
Bellevue, WA
Seattle’s more affordable and equally beautiful neighbor, Bellevue offers residents the small town vibe with many of the perks of a larger city. Despite having one of the higher costs of living on our list, Bellvue more than makes up for it with its gorgeous views, excellent public schools, and educated populus. Additionally, Bellevue has some killer amenities, from loads of upscale shopping to a wide variety of dining options. Alternative medicine is also big in Bellevue, so you can get your acupuncture on with little trouble.
Atlanta, GA
The capital of the Peach State may have the highest unemployment rate on our list, along with low incomes and high foreclosure rates, but it has some of the most diverse food and culture to make up for it. Also, with 16 of the 18 Fortune 500 Companies headquartered in Georgia, Atlanta is a great place to grow and advance your career. Oh, and did we forget to mention Atlanta is home to the world’s busiest airport? You’ll certainly find a flight to wherever you need to go without that long layover.
Regardless of where you choose to settle down, making sure your city feels like home is as important as the actual house you purchase there. The above six cities each have their own personalities and values, no one superior to the other. That does not mean, however, that one of them is not the best city for you.
