Quick answer
Grant starts with: where do you actually want to live, and what kind of life do you want there? Then he pressure-tests that answer against the exact employer address, office frequency, schedule flexibility, budget and commute. His philosophy is “you work to live; you don’t live to work.” The goal is not to ignore commute—it is to make the best lifestyle work within reasonable practical limits.
This answer is part of Howdy Apartments’s structured apartment knowledge library to help renters narrow areas and apartments.