By Christopher Ulrich, Editor, HomeBuyersGuide.com
Buying a new home is the single largest buy most Americans will ever make. Unfortunately, many spend less time deciding on what house they should invest in than they do on purchasing the latest cell phone. That isn’t to say they’re not capable – they simply lack a method of evaluating house.
Before You Search for a House, Decide What You Really Want
This sounds simple enough, but many people do not spend the time to decide what kind of home buy they want to make. They start visiting open houe events, fall in love with a home and make a bid. Months or years later they decided they bought the wrong home for a range of reasons. “If only we knew then what we know now…” they think.
Plan for the Long Term
Most people will stay in their house anywhere between 5 and 50 years. Think about what your needs will be ten years from now. Ask yourself:
Do you want to starting a family? With how many children? Be sure you have enough bedrooms and that the rooms are big enough for the kids to grow into.
Are you going to send your kids to public school or private school? Private can be very expensive. If you go that route of private school, you may wish to live in a better town with a lower quality school district; both the houses prices and taxes may be lower for a similar home.
Are your children going to be driving in the next several years? Do you have sufficient parking?
Do you anticipate bringing your parents in to live with you?
Do you want a mother-daughter with separate kitchen and entrance or simply an additional bedroom in the main house? Will you prefer a ranch vs. a two-story home?
If you are choosing a location near your work, is there other work nearby if you are required to change jobs? Are you better off driving a little further but being nearer to another urban area?
Plan for the Features You Want
Decide now how many bedrooms and bathrooms you want. Do you want a finished basement? What about a swimming pool and deck? How about a home office? There are many features you can choose in a home, and it is far easier to find it in a home you are looking to invest in, rather than adding it in the future. If there is an essential feature you want that is not in a particular home, make sure you can add it later (ex., do you have room to add a pool down the road). For a complete checklist list of features to review, see http://www.HomeBuyersGuide.com/features.cfm
