Having a dream home is one of the most wanted things one could have in his life, and if you are thinking about buying a new home and yet to decide which one, there are seven crucial things that you must take into consideration so you can avoid the pitfalls that can cost you high. Everything, from hidden defects to neighborhood pitfalls, after reading this blog you will get covered with the expert tips and the insider knowledge. I am Pratik Pagare, your real estate expert and I am here to help you avoid those pitfalls that are costly.
Here are some of the main things at which you should have a look out, while you are buying a new house –
1. Fit and Finish
One of the most important things to check out before buying a house is the quality of stuff that is used in building a house and the heart of the home lies in the details, the manner in which the house was built and the quality of materials that were used in construction. The primary indicators which show that a house is well built can be deciphered by looking at the quality of flooring done in the house, and whether or not the countertops and cabinets are properly built.
Inspection is the most important activity that has to be compulsorily done before buying a house, and it is when you enter a house for inspection, first thing you have to do is to pay close attention to aforesaid primary indicators. You can ask the seller multiple questions. When you first walk into a house for inspection, pay close look at these elements, take a look at them and ask the questions do these materials look cheap or low quality you want to look for signs of wear and tears such as scratches on the flooring or chipped countertops. A well-built home with high quality material is more likely to appreciate in value over time think of it like this the quality of these things are kind of like clothes you wear, and you want them to look good and last a long time right and it is the same with a house if the floors are cheap and scratchy or the countertops are cracked. It is the same as wearing ripped jeans to a fancy dinner. It just doesn’t look right so if you are going to look around pay close attention to the details check out the floors. Are they good or do they feel flimsy, take a look at the countertops, do they look strong and shiny, or do they have some chips or do they look kind of flimsy do the cabinets open and close smoothly. Are they wobbly? do they feel constructed well or do they feel cheap and wobbly and like they are going to fall apart right these are the things that you need to look at because the long-term of that house depends on it these are the little things that can make a huge difference on how you actually feel about the home too.
2. High Kitchen Appliances and Layout of the House
As a homeowner, you want rooms to feel connected that is where the layout comes in. So, if you are looking at a house pay close attention to how the rooms actually flow together can you easily go from one living room to the kitchen or does the bedroom feel quiet and private now try to picture your furniture in the rooms will you couch fit in that living room will your dining room table fit in that kitchen. These are important questions that you are going to have to go through when you are inspecting a house.
3. Natural Light
Now think about how big rooms are and where the windows are located and you want that natural light because you don’t want a bedroom that is too small for your bed and then it gets really dark natural light makes a huge difference on how the house feels it is not just how it looks but how it feels and it actually make a small space feel even bigger and brighter if you have natural light and if you don’t, it will make it feel even more closed in and that is the vibe of the house so pay close attention to where the windows are and how much light comes in because you want rooms that are bright and area especially in the living areas and the kitchens but you also don’t want too much light coming in like in the bedrooms you do have to go to sleep. That is why Natural Light should be taken into consideration before buying a new home.
4. Storage
Now when you are looking at a house check out all the spaces that you can store your stuff, the closets are obvious but other than that look for built-in shelves and additional storage spaces under the stairs or even in the attic now you want to make sure that you have enough room for all your clothes your dishes and your random stuff so you can pack it away otherwise you are going to be renting space to put your stuff right so think about how much stuff you actually have are you a big collector do you need more storage or are you a minimalist and you may not need as much so it is always good to have extra space and believe me you can never have enough extra space and closet space.
5. Foundation and Structure
Now before buying a house, it should be checked with foundational issues. It is not going to be standing very long if you have such issues because it will cost you a lot of money down the road to get those things repaired correctly and that is why it is super important to check out any cracks or damage in the foundation. The best way to do this is with a professional home inspection and before that when you visit the house you should look to see if there is any signs of these troubles signs like cracks in the walls or floors or an uneven feel or doors that don’t close properly these could be signs of a bigger problem so also pay attention to the overall structure of the house are the walls straight does the roof look solid do these things might seem obvious but they are just as important and when you finalize everything else you want a professional house inspection to make sure everything is done the right way so a house with a good foundation and a strong structure will last years to come.
6.The Roof and the Siding
Now these repairs can be costly so if there are any problems with the roof or siding, it is always better to get these problems solved before you move into the house. And if you want to look for any sign of damage like these missing shingles or broken tiles or some weird stains somewhere if you see these it might mean big trouble so also check the gutters if there is drains on your roof, make sure they are clean and not clogged up because that could mean a backup of water into the house and also look at the siding, it is like the skin of your house so you want to check for any cracks or holes or peeling paint and if you see any problems this could mean water damage or other issues down the road internally even in the house.
7. The Curb of Appeal
Now the first thing people see when they go up to a house is what the house looks like, it is a good impression or a bad impression that is known as curb appeal and it basically means if the house looks good from the street you got good curb appeal and you also want to step back and take a look at that whole picture right slow down does the house look clean and inviting or are there any obvious problems just stand still and listen hear and listen around the neighborhood just see what is going on a house with good curb appeal makes people want to see more and you can actually really care about what others are going to think about your house when they are visiting and probably ensure your curb appeal is good.
Additional factors that one should really consider if you are in the process of buying the land.
1. Do you have a home inspection before you finalize the deal for buying your house. Professional home inspection means hiring a professional who is going to look at everything from the roof to the basement and they are going to check for any hidden problems and they are working for you in your best interest and why is this important because you don’t want to move into a house then have these surprises with something that goes wrong like a leaky roof or bad wiring now you won’t be able to identify these problems during just a regular walkthrough inspection plus these problems are super expensive to fix so if you get a home inspection make sure you get a good one just don’t get anybody out of the phone book you want to make sure that they are working for you in your best interest and this way you can be extra sure that the inspector is not working for the home seller but actually working for you the home buyer.
2 .The neighborhood matters now you want to be in a place that you can actually enjoy now you want to think about it peace and quiet right you want to go there, every single day you want to know where the restaurants are the shops maybe schools are nearby, you want to know where other stuff is located, is it in walking distance or do you have to drive along distance so figure all those things out make sure you know where the highways are or where they are not those are things that you need to know about and also safety is super important so do you feel safe in the neighborhood both day and night you want to talk to people who live there you can even check online reviews of that area now remember your neighborhood is more than just you house or your address, it is where you are going to spend a lot of your time and these are some things to look out for when you are buying a new home.
I am a Commerce Graduate and Real Estate Consultant.