Area comparison tool: where should I buy?

Area comparison tool

Whether you're buying a home to live in or investing in a buy-to-let, it can be hard deciding on the best area to buy a property in. Even if you already live in the area where you want to buy, it's worth doing your research before committing such a large sum of money.

Our area research and comparison tool can help you find the best place to live in England based on a number of factors, including house prices, schools, quality of life and council tax. You can compare your local authority with the national average, or compare two areas that you're choosing between.

How to choose where to buy

The factors that are most important when buying a house will be specific to your circumstances - you might want to live near family, have a shorter commute or be walking distance from the sea.

But there are a number of things you should always consider that will indicate how good your quality of life will be, and how likely your property is to grow in value.

You can find out more in our guide to finding the best places to live.

And once you've found a property that appeals, you can use our house-viewing checklist to make sure it will meet your needs.