• Would you characterize your present area as urban, suburban, semi-rural, or rural? Is the population density low, medium, or high? Is the population decreasing, stable, or increasing?

  • What natural features are the most significant? Woods? Hills? Flat land? River? Ocean shore? Man-made lakes? Streams and ponds?

  • How do you commute to work? Do you walk? Drive? Car pool? Taxi? Bus? Train? How far must you travel and how long does it take every morning and every evening? Do you use available public transportation for local trips or to visit close-by communities? Can someone reach your home on public transportation?

  • Where do you do your shopping? Central commercial districts? Shopping malls? Supermarket shopping clusters?

  • Community shops or home delivery? Imagine a list of typical stops that you make in one week. How many miles and how much time would visiting the entire list require. Do you want greater convenience?

  • What types of schools does your family attend now? From grade school to graduate school, and from day care needs to special vocational training, what facilities will you require in the next few years? Are there any special needs or plans? Although it’s extremely difficult to compare quality of education, especially when the most important ingredient is the relationship between teacher and student, some statistical indicators can be helpful. These are the average class size at each grade level, the comparative standardized text scores, the average salary of teachers, and the percentage of high school graduates who go to college.

  • What does the area offer for recreation and entertainment? Music? Movies and live stage? Sports arenas? Museums? Nightlife? What types of indoor and outdoor sports facilities are available? Are there public parks, country clubs, athletic clubs, fraternal groups? Do you require any special facilities?