Your go-to’s are key to finalizing your suburbs strategy – here’s why.
Our goal is to help you zero in on the perfect community – a community that aligns with your lifestyle, preferences, interests, and more. And that means considering everything, from how you’ll commute to work everyday to how close you want to be to friends, family, schools, and airports to what workouts, stores, and outdoor activities you want in driving – or even walking – distance.
Understanding – and defining – your suburban anchors
We call those “anchors.” Anchors are people and places we need to consider as we’re developing your suburban strategy. A perfect example? Commuting to work. If you’re commuting to Wall Street every morning, having access to the right train line is key. And if you want to curb commute time, some towns in New Jersey may be more convenient than being on Long Island or in Connecticut.
That’s just one example. Often we hear from clients who plan to lean on parents or siblings for childcare – and that means being a quick drive or, in some cases, walking distance to grandma and grandpa. That’s a critical anchor for families. For others it’s distance to a specific private school or type of youth sport – if a child is an avid golfer, for example, or a competitive hockey player, being near a course or ice rink may be a must. Others want to be within a certain drive time from a second home or favorite vacation spot.
While these are fairly straightforward, sometimes anchors are a bit more challenging.
“This happens a lot,” says Robin Hoberman, Suburban Jungle Strategist & Director Talent Acquisition. “I recently worked with a couple – he grew up on Long Island and she grew up on the Upper East Side. They both wanted to be close to the city since they commuted to Midtown daily, but also not so far from each of their families.”
Robin’s client also wanted her new town to be walkable.
“Since she grew up in the city, walkability was important – but she also craved a backyard and a strong sense of community. She loved seeing sidewalks on her town tours and wanted that lifestyle for their kids. After exploring, they’re now happily settled in Mamaroneck. They’re a 35-minute train ride from the city, their children walk to school with their friends and neighbors, and they can get to Long Island in less than an hour. I love when it all comes together!”
So…what are YOUR anchors?
During the first strategy call, your Suburban Jungle Strategist will walk through a series of questions to help plan and refine your search – and that includes discussing all of your potential anchors. So if you don’t have a sense of yours, don’t worry. We’ll talk through lots of unique considerations that may or may not apply to you. By figuring out what you need and what could be important in the future, we’ll be able to identify what will be key to your search.
In the meantime, though, you can prepare for your strategy call by asking yourself:
- Is there a transportation hub that’s most convenient to you or your spouse’s office?
- If you have kids – or plan to – is there a specific type of school you’ll likely send them to? Public? Montessori? Parochial? Waldorf?
- Do you have any activities you love and want to continue pursuing in the suburbs?
- Specific workout classes or gyms? Outdoor activities – hiking or biking trails, for example? Parks? Playgrounds?
- Are there family or friends you want or need to be close to – especially if they’ll be helping with childcare, petcare, etc?
- Are there any sports facilities or training facilities you need to be near – a golf course, ice rink, gymnastics studio, rowing center, etc?
- Do you or your family have any special considerations that could impact your move? For example, do you need access to specific medical facilities?
Again, these are just some “anchor” questions to consider. During our initial call we’ll discuss even more, and ensure you find the right community to call “home.”
Anchors are just one of the things we consider when developing your suburbs strategy. Ready to get started with yours? Schedule your free session now.