When you're on the hunt for your dream home, sometimes those old rose-coloured glasses can cloud your vision and make it difficult to see straight. But we should never forget that a home is a huge investment, and whether you're buying a new home or a resold one, there are certain things you need to consider before you fall in love with a property.
Here are the best 7 tidbits of advice we could come up with for finding a dream home that doesn't disappoint. As always, let us know what you think of them and if you'd add any others in the comments!
1) Always Do Your Research
Whether you do it online, in newspapers or in person by visiting homes or model homes (with a realtor or without), it always pays to do your homework. This may seem like obvious advice, but all too often home buyers get so caught up in the excitement of purchasing a new home that they may skimp on some of the hard work. Don't be one of those.
2) You Can Pick Your Nose...
Always look for the cheapest house in the best neighborhood, because homes can be improved, but neighbours can't! When you buy for the area first, you are more likely to get the utmost bang for your buck in the long haul. This doesn't mean you should buy a house you hate in a burrough you love, but it's something to keep in mind nonetheless.
4) Location, Location, Location
Like neighbours, a house's address is pretty fixed, too. You can change pretty much everything about your home after you buy it, in fact... except where it is located. Buying a home you love in an area that is inconvenient, dangerous or less than ideal is a short-sighted plan. Find a region you love first, then look for a home within it.
5) Compromise is Key
The sooner you come to terms with the fact that the perfect home does not exist, the easier this will be for everyone. Unless you're commissioning a custom home to be built on land of your choosing, there will always be a few things you don't like about every property you visit. Give and take a little, and aim to find the home that satisfies most of your needs and wants, not all.
6) Don't Fall In Love, If You Can Help It
No, I'm not talking about Cupid's Arrow, and Yes, this is easier said than done, but it is always best to stay as emotionally detached as possible when looking for and bidding on a home. This is, after all, a business, and there is no room in the deal room for emotion.
If you do lose what you thought was your dream home when a deal falls through, don't fret, another one that's even better for you will come along soon!
7) Beware The Handy-man's Special
It might be refreshing to walk into a home that has been gutted and redone from top to bottom, but always remember to look closely at renovations to make sure they don't exhibit any signs of unprofessionalism.
As we mentioned in our post about home inspections, professional inspectors are always wary of such renos, saying that they nearly always have code errors and other problems that could cause headaches down the road. Look out for crooked walls, oddly wired appliances and anything else that just doesn't seem right. Better to turn your back now on a house that looks great, but really isn't, than to look the other way and have issues down the road.
0 comments
Post a Comment