New tool finds homes for sale based on ‘happy family’ formula which includes OBESITY levels in local area
Yopa's new Happy Family tool will let you search for a location based on crime rates, health and well being as well as job prospects and good schools
A NEW online tool will help you decide on where to live based on the obesity levels in certain areas.
The by estate agents Yopa also compares the local crime rates, as well as drug and alcohol use in a towns and cities too.
The free search engine was built to help parents decide on the best location to live based on their priorities, such as schools.
It uses its own formula, which is more than the usual house hunter search criteria, to narrow down the perfect areas.
Research by the firm found that 4million Brits have considered moving for the sake of their children's well being, and that 40 per cent of parents prioritise family health and well being over the success of their own careers.
So the tool cleverly lets you search for properties in areas with lots of parks and green spaces, low pollution rates, low obesity rates and highly rated GPs.
It also lets you search the database for properties with better job opportunities and higher paid work.
The data has come from a number of different sources like the Office of National Statistics, government websites and NHS England.
Of course, all of the information is public and it's not the only tool to put this sort of information in one place, like Find A Hood.
But it is the only one we can find that puts the results into a map and then an easy to read top 10 table.
If it is schooling that is your main priority though, the tool will also let you search for homes with "good" schools nearby based on the average class size and whether or not they're grammar.
Parents using the tool use the sliding scales to rate how much they value "good" primary or secondary schools from not important to very important, as well as setting a budget.
Tools to help you choose where to live
CAN'T decided where to live? These tools will help you decide based on more than just house prices:
- - Search the site's listings to get even more specific results. If you click on the "advance search" option, you'll be able to find properties that specifically have certain criteria such as a garden, driveway, good schools in the area or are shared ownership.
- - Just because you move into an area with a good school there's no guarantee you'll get in. Rightmove's school checker tab will help you compare admissions criteria and inspection reports of schools in the local area.
- - It's an app that lets you search over 18million house prices dating back to 1995. The search criteria will let you separate you search by location, prices, beds and date listed.
- - This free app is the Tinder of the housing world. It shows you houses for sale in the local area and you can swipe until you find something you fancy.
- - While most listings will show you the distances as the crow flies, this free site lists properties based on how long your commute will take. The houses are listed by travel time, not distance.
- - Search for a neighbourhood where the residents are in the same age group as you, as well as crime rates, good investments and household income.
- - The Happy Family Guide helps you choose a location base on healthy and well being as well as prices and schooling. They'll show you the results on a map, and then break it down in a personalised top 10 table.
You can then narrow down your search by ticking the boxes that match up with what it is that you consider when moving house, like low alcohol use, crime rates and earning potential.
You can then use that information to search for properties in those areas on other sites too.
Top boss at Yopa David Jacobs said: "Our homes are usually the most expensive thing we invest in and as such we need to get the very best property for our family.
"Every family has a different set of move motivators and we decided to look into these further.
"We found people living in certain areas are far more likely to move further to find that ideal happy spot. Our tool will help families to consider new home locations that they might otherwise overlook."
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