How to Choose the Right Home for You
April 14th, 2010 categories: Buyers
Some people fall in love with a home the moment they enter the property. Other homes grow on you over time according to Karin Beurlein of HGTV’s FrontDoor. Consider the following four factors when choosing the right home for you:
1.) Location, location, location.
a) What’s your job commute going to be like? Is the traffic heavy or light at the times of day you’ll be on the road?
b. How’s the school district? Even if you don’t have kids, the quality of the school district affects your home’s value, so it pays to find out.
c. Is there much crime?
d. How convenient are shopping centers, libraries, churches and so on?
2.) Decide which home features are most important to you.
a. Do you have pets? You may want to narrow the field to homes with substantial backyards.
b. Is your family growing? Make sure there are enough bedrooms for your family today and five years from now.
c. Be shrewd about storage space. Houses with cavernous rooms may be impressive to look at, but they sometimes compromise storage space to achieve that effect. Would you rather have a place to hang your crystal chandelier or a place to hang your coats?
d. Will any remodeling be required to make the home move-in ready for you? If so, are you handy with a hammer or would you prefer to find a home that needs a little work?
3.) Ask questions. Resist the temptation to wander starry eyed through each home you tour. Look at any pros and cons as honestly as possible, and ask questions. Some good questions to ask your agent or the seller:
a. What service providers (cable, Internet, telephone) are available in the area? and is the house completely wired for each?
b. How much do you pay yearly in city and/or county property taxes?
c. How much do utilities run each month? Does the house use gas or electric for the furnace, water heater and appliances?
d. How old are the major appliances, and which are included with the house?
e. Have there been any major repairs to the house, and if so, when were they completed? For example, how old is the roof? Has water ever damaged the basement or foundation?
f. Ever had problems with insects, spiders or rodents?
4.) Scrutinize: Look inside cabinets, inside closets, at baseboards, at window casings, at door frames, where walls meet floors and ceilings. Look for any signs of damage, wear or poor construction.
Keeping these four pointers in mind will help you weed out the homes that are not suitable for you and your family. Sometimes the most beautiful house can fall short of meeting your needs such as lacking a dishwasher, or not having covered parking etc. It’s good to have a “wish list” with amenities that you must have and a sub list of things that you don’t necessarily need but would just be nice to have. If you found this information useful or have further questions feel free to email me. Also please join us on Facebook and become a fan of Kathy Villa Real Estate. We’d love to connect with you!