Buying a home is a great achievement by any standards. If you have decided to take the step to become a homeowner, then there are various things that you should put into consideration to ensure that you buy the best house possible. Needless to say, when choosing the perfect property — there are many things you should look at.  Reviewing ALL of the active listings, reviewing the recently sold properties, going over the local real estate statistics — are all things that you should be doing. 

Many good local real estate websites provide that information — here is an example of a local Wilmington real estate broker site where all of the critical information is on one page.  This site focuses on the homes in Wilmington – but you should be able to find something similar for your area.

Research the community.  Make sure that you don’t just look within that specific neighborhood — find a website that shows all of the most popular communities.  Here is an example of a local real estate website that goes into good detail on the local communities — This is for the Boston MA area — but you should be able to find something in your neck of the woods too.

That is the basic stuff.  In addition, upon finding a home for sale that makes the list, you should look a little deeper to make sure its truly the perfect home.  Here is a good checklist of items to dig into when buying a home.  

Staircase

Check to see how long or steep the staircase is before you decide to buy the home. If you plan to grow old in that home or live with an elderly relative then you should avoid buying a home with steep staircases because they can cause you or your loved one health problems.

Size of the rooms

The size of the rooms should be just right, not too small or too big. When you are viewing the home, try to visualize how you will arrange your furniture into the rooms and whether you think they will fit into the space available. If possible, you should bring measuring equipment with you and take measurements because you might overestimate or underestimate the size of the room and end up buying a home that will not fit your stuff unknowingly.

Tips For First Time Homebuyers

Kitchen

They say the kitchen is the heart of a home.  Also, a kitchen remodel can be crazy expensive.  Therefore, you should pay special attention to the kitchen before deciding whether or not to buy the house. Find out whether it has a gas stove if you prefer to cook with one. You should also consider the layout, number of sinks, natural light, storage area and its general size.

Windows

Check to see whether the number and size of the windows are desirable.  Look to see if the windows are double insulated — as that will affect your monthly electric bill.  Make sure they all open and close well as well as the locks on all windows function.  Ensure that the home you are buying has enough windows and that they are located in suitable locations. Remember that modifying or adding windows can be quite a costly affair therefore a home with perfect windows can save you a lot of headaches in the future.

Bathroom

Nothing can be more frustrating than queuing up to go to the bathroom, especially in the morning when people are in a rush to go out and do their daily engagements. Ensure that the home has enough bathrooms to suit your family’s needs.  Many people overlook the bathroom size – and focus on the number of bathrooms.  Think through what bathroom company will use — make sure its large enough.  

buying the right property

Tips for buying the right property

Heating and cooling system

Check to see that the heating and cooling system of the home is in a good working condition because installing a new system can be costly and disruptive. Save yourself the trouble and make sure the HVAC system is in tip top shape.  You should have a 12-18 degree differentiation in temperature between where the return area comes in – and out of the first vent. 

Check the land

Step out of the house and look around it. Check if the land is prone to flooding or if it can allow you to extend the house in future.  If possible,  review the survey of the property.  Make sure you are buying what it appears that you are purchasing. 

Roof

Look at the roof and see whether it is in a good state or not. A roof that looks that it is about to cave in is a no no. An ideal roof is one made of a strong material because it will withstand the elements and save you lots of cash in repairs and replacement.  A roof replacement or any roof repairs can be extremely expensive but should last for many years.  Be aware that sellers generally wont replace a roof as part of any inspection.  

Plumbing

Check the pipes and look out for mold and the overall state of the plumbing system.  Plumbing issues is another thing that can skyrocket in costs.  If you find issues with your plumbing, be prepared to spend thousands of dollars — especially if they have to dig anything up. 

All in all, also keep in mind that there are hidden costs such as mortgage interest, financing costs, closing costs, tax, utilities, homeowners insurance, maintenance, renovations and homeowners’ association fees.  If purchasing a condo – make sure to review the condo documents. Home inspection, application fees, title fees and appraisal fees should also be considered.