Learning About Luxury Real Estate

Why are you looking for real estate agents downtown who work in your pick city? Obviously, because you want an urban oasis. You're not alone. Roughly 54% of the world's population lives in cities, according to the World Health Organization. Before you pick 'your' agent, you need to consider more than how many bedrooms and bathrooms you're looking for. You're moving downtown for a reason – and it probably has very little to do with the green scenery. You want to take advantage of what the city has to offer, and that means strategically locating yourself so that you're near the amenities and activities that you're interested in. Even though there's no master list that you check off, you can check out the general points that you (and your agent of choice) need to consider.

Keep in mind, your agent should have a full knowledge of the downtown area and how each apartment, condo or townhouse fits (and is situated near) your needs.

Family Needs

If you have kids, then your real estate needs are different than a single person or a married childless couple. But, this goes way beyond needing an extra bedroom for the baby or wanting to make sure that your housing pick is child-safe (no slippery glass steps for you).

Your real estate agent needs to have the low-down on the schools, preschools or daycares in the area. If the local school is at the bottom of the educational institution ranking and you can't afford the posh private school that's nearby, the 'perfect apartment' just won't do.

Along with educational and child care needs, your agent needs to know about local parks, playgrounds, and kids' activities that you won't have to drive or take two buses and a subway ride to get to.

Cultural Needs

You're all about the theater. Or, maybe you're a major art-lover. Whatever your artistic passion is, having an array of cultural experiences nearby is important to you.

The real estate agents who work downtown (in the area you want to live in) should know about the cultural attractions. If there aren't any, the agent should know what the closest ones are and how far away they are.

Dining Needs

Are you big into cooking for yourself? Well, then you need a market that's nearby. And that's something your agent should know about.

Maybe you enjoy dining out. Your agent should also have an extensive knowledge of what's near – especially what kinds of restaurants and other eateries are within walking distances.

If you have kids, the agent should also be able to help you find a house/apartment that's near child-friendly eating establishments.

Keep in mind, these aren't the only needs your real estate agent should know about. You're an individual, and you have individual needs. Other urban areas of interest that you might need to include are nearby religious institutions, public transportation, available parking or entertainment (such as movie theaters) and nightlife.