If you've just moved to a new area, it can take time to find your feet and make yourself at home there.

Help, however, is at hand. Our guide to getting to know your new area will help you feel like one of the locals in no time.

 
1. Get to know your neighbours

Make the effort to introduce yourself - your neighbours will be a good source of local information as well as potential new friends. They'll be able to help you find local essentials, from the nearest train station to the best pub in town.

 
2. Research local schools

If you are a parent, research the best performing primary schools and secondary schools in the area to ensure you make an early application when the time comes for your children to go to school.

For those without children, it's still advisable to be aware of where the local schools are. This will help you avoid those Chelsea-tractor packed school-run routes. You'll probably find that property prices in good catchment areas will be higher too.

3. Crime and safety

You'll feel safer where you live if you're clued up on the best and worst of your area. Read up on crime statistics and neighbourhood profiles for general trends. Even the quietest of towns will probably have places best avoided at certain hours - ask local people for advice.

4. Sample the nightlife

There's no better way to get to know an area and its locals than by planning a few local evenings out. Find your nearest recommended nightspot -  pub, restaurant, theatre - then rate and review your experiences for others to read.

You'll soon build up a network of preferred places to go, and start to recognise other regular faces.

 
5. ...and the daylife

Spend a few weekends exploring your surroundings. From local clubs and associations to an undiscovered patch of countryside, every area has something worth discovering.

 
6. Get involved

Make your local area a better place - and engage with the other people who live there - by playing your part in local issues. Join a neighbourhood watch scheme, write to your council about your local recycling service, or even suggest your neighbourhood starts an annual street party.

 
7. Be proud of where you live

Being part of a community means you need to give something back too. Small things like keeping your front garden tidy, not littering and putting your bins out on time go a surprisingly long way towards making your surroundings a more pleasant place.