You need to make a bunch of decisions before buying a flat in Kolkata.
One of the major decisions is to choose the location where you will buy a flat and continue to live for years.
Of course, you can ask your friends, colleagues, and real estate agent, but there is a much more convenient way to find all relevant information about a neighbourhood.
You do not need to make any phone call or visit the neighbourhood.
You can research the neighbourhood from the comfort of your home.
In this article, we will discuss what you must find out about a neighbourhood and how you can do it online.
Keep reading.
Go to Google Maps
Just log in to Google Maps from your mobile phone (or laptop) and get detailed location information about an area.
You can easily know about nearby parks, restaurants, gyms, and other amenities that are important to you.
Use Streetview for a 3D view of the streets
Find out the distance of distance to key places like schools, grocery stores, hospitals, and your workplace.
Moreover, you can check the reviews of facilities like a gym or restaurant to figure out whether it is a good fit to your lifestyle.
You can also find out about green and open spaces in a particular area from Google Maps.
Go through Online Reviews
Websites and apps that focus on local reviews can provide insights into what residents and visitors think about the area.
Check out various reviews on Google My Business and other review sites.
For example, Google reviews are great pointers to the food and service quality of a restaurant in any particular area.
Crime mapping websites and local police department sites often provide crime statistics and reports. Check local news websites for recent crime reports and safety concerns. You can check the Kolkata Police website and social media page for more information.
Check Websites, Social Media, and Forums
One of the best ways to know about educational institutions is to visit their websites. You can see details of facilities, activities, faculty, and board examination performance of a school.
Social media are also a treasurehouse of information about a particular location. You can find out about any place in various ways.
Join local groups on Facebook (these groups are dedicated to specific neighbourhoods where residents discuss various issues and events), follow area-specific hashtags on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or check out forums like Reddit.
Additionally, you can also ask relevant questions on Quora and Facebook groups about a location.
Check out Connectivity
You can easily find out about the various transportation options in a particular with short research on Google.
For example, you can find out about the Metro connectivity from Kolkata Metro’s website and even this blog. We publish articles from time to time (such as this one) on how different Metro lines help residents.
Another great way to know more about connectivity is to log in to Google Maps. You can easily get information on the distance and estimated commute time from your home to your workplace (or any place) by several transport modes.
Checking out with app cabs such as Uber/Ola will give you an idea of cab fares to different locations from a particular place.
Explore Real Estate Websites
You can get a plethora of information about a location from a real estate website (such as this one).
You can get to know the various projects and get a fair idea of the social indicators and amenities.
Study property blogs to get detailed information about a particular location. This blog regularly publishes articles on various locations in Kolkata and Howrah with comprehensive information on property investment opportunities, and available infrastructure (like educational institutions, connectivity, shopping and entertainment centres, and healthcare facilities).
As you see, you can use various resources to gather information about different aspects of the area. By thoroughly investigating maps, reviews, social media, school websites, real estate websites, crime statistics, transportation options, environmental factors, and local news, you can make a well-informed decision about whether a neighbourhood is right for you.
