Buying a new home is both exciting, and at times overwhelming.
If you are like most people, you probably already have an idea of what you would like to see in your next home. However, you may not have taken the extra step of creating an organized checklist to help you compare one potential property against the next.
Here are some important reminders of what you should include on your checklist to make sure that you wind up happy in your new home.
THE SIZE
The size of a home is usually one of the biggest priorities for most people. For years it seemed that people couldn’t build or buy houses big enough. Recently, we saw the market shift in the opposite direction with the tiny house craze. There’s no right or wrong answer, just what’s right and wrong for you.
As a rule of thumb, the larger a house is the more expensive and difficult it will be to maintain. So if you don’t want to spend weekends cleaning and working in the yard, you may want to opt for a smaller abode.
THE KITCHEN
Food is a large part of our everyday, making the kitchen a place for gathering in a home. Be sure to make a note of the location of the kitchen and the floorplan surrounding it. Bedrooms adjacent to the kitchen may be victim to noise when early morning cooking is in order. Finishes can be changed relatively quickly, but remodeling a kitchen to add space can be costly. Finding a home with a kitchen suitable to your needs is ideal.
BEDS, BATHS, AND BEYOND
The number of bedrooms and bathrooms are also important factors in finding a home that will suit you and your family for years to come. Take careful consideration with the location of the bedrooms, especially if you are exploring multi-story homes.
Pay attention to the location, storage capacity, and the condition of the bathrooms. Bathroom remodels are notorious for becoming expensive and harry endeavors.
Work from home? Have a hobby that requires space? You may want to make having a den, office, hobby room, or additional bedroom a priority on your checklist.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD
If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times; the three biggest factors to consider when purchasing your home are location, location, location. The reason this old adage has stuck around for so long is that it really rings true. The location of your home can make or break your ability to fall in love with it.
Any factor of a home can be changed once purchased except for location, making this a “top of list” factor to consider when in the market. When determining your ideal location, consider proximity to work, what your daily commute would entail, and access to parks, shopping, and extracurricular activities.
When you are on showing appointments, make a point of pausing in different areas of the house, as well as outside, to measure the level of noise. Are there nearby businesses, parks, busy roads, or perhaps a noisy schoolyard? Noises are easy to overlook but could end up driving you bananas down the road, so it’s important that you take the time to pay attention.
Finally, it is also a good idea to consider what type of neighborhood you want to be apart of. Are you looking for increased security and a place where neighbors frequently socialize the way they do in planned communities? Or do you prefer to keep to yourself and prefer the privacy that a larger lot will afford you?
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