Monday, March 23, 2015

{ Checklist to Buying a House! }


Happy Late Monday & early Tuesday!!! I trust you all had an amazing weekend! It was in the mid 30's here in the north...I know, heat wave for us ha-ha, but we did manage to get some much needed spring/ summer preparation supplies for the yard & more! As we were picking up some yard supplies  { gravel, umbrella, etc.. } we started thinking about moving!! If you've been reading my blog since last year you would know that 2015/ early 2016 will be the year we are moving...again! This will be technically our 2rd house & 3rd home { 1st place was a condo }! Our 3rd home will be our semi permanent home for the next 10 years & this time we have some check points that need to be addressed & hopefully executed to some extent! Today I'm sharing some information & tips other then just financial advice to help the buying process be as efficient as possible!


Photo Property of The Quaint Sanctuary




1.) Be sure the area { city , township,county, providence etc.. } is low in crime, & desirable for your needs! Make sure if you're involved in activities that they're in reasonable accessible distance etc..!

2.) Make it a point to meet the neighbors & cruise the neighborhood for activity/perspective and familiarize yourself with your potential extended neighbors/ neighborhood! 

3.) Check things out that you wouldn't think twice about like where your bedroom is located in the house? Is it close to a neighbors driveway, street, building etc..?!

4.) Check the listings of other homes in the neighborhood from the past & present year to detect the median house range, & value indications! 

5.) When inspecting a potential home make sure it has at least some of the major items you would like { Example: Fireplace } . Things like adding a fireplace, brick wall, island, patio, extra rooms etc.. are all high cost jobs that could  potentially be over-updating the house in that priced neighborhood! This is a real issue if you EVER plan to sell again & plan to make at least some profit when trying to resell! I know it sounds insane ,but there is such thing as updating your home too much for a certain area. Do your research & replace with price/material sensible products for that location!!

6.) Make sure that the land  the house is on is big enough for any extra ' toys ', vehicles, or even expandable if need be! Check the zoning laws & city codes/ordinances!

7.) Check the animal laws if you plan on adopting or adding any pets to your family! Each city has its own laws & regulations on this matter, and it can be tricky!!

8.) Make sure all the major appliances / structures in the home  work or have at least another 3-5  years life to them. Having to repair major issues in a home can set you up for failure & cause other internal / external issues in a home !

9.) Be sure you LIKE the house! I know this sounds crazy or a given, but in many cases people just jump into a home because of time crunches, desperation or lack of information. If you don't like the style or design of the home that's a red flag NOT to buy!!!

10.) Check the school district out even if you plan on not having children! If you ever decide to sell this is a big either plus or minus depending on how the school system in that city/ district is rated! 

 I hope these tips & tricks help you make the perfect decision on your new home!! 

 Have a great

Paige.Rose