So you have made some major developments in your career and your personal life so it’s the right time to own your new dream home. Buying a new house is indeed one of the biggest milestones in someone’s life. Chances are you will be living in that house for a very long time. That is why choosing the best house for you is critical for your long term happiness and comfortability. Canvassing a house is surely an exciting activity but it could also be a very stressful one. If you are buying your very first house or you just want to transfer location, here is a list of the things you should consider given by InspireProperty.co.nz to be able to find the one that you’ll regard as home-sweet-home with its full connotation.
1. Purpose
Before buying a house, ask yourself this question: Why am I buying a house? Knowing your purpose can really guide you to the perfect house you have always wanted. Are you going to own the house? Will you conduct renovations after purchasing the house? Or are you going to have it leased? If you have a clear idea of what your purpose is, you will be then guided to buy accordingly.
2. Location
The location is a very crucial factor when choosing a house. It will be the determinant of your quality of life in the future. You should choose a location where you are familiar with the lifestyle. More importantly, a place near your work, your children’s school, a market, church and other important facilities should also be considered.
3. Price
This is probably the most important factor you should think of when looking for a new place to live. Do not waste your time looking at properties that you cannot afford. Set a budget and follow it. Know your ceiling. Also, try not to forget about other expenses included in owning a new house such as taxes, possible renovations, moving-in fees, cleaning, buying new appliances and furniture and etc.
4. Interior Layout
Interior layout can have big effects in your daily life. So make sure that before you buy a house, you have walked through it and assess if it has an easy, natural flow from room to rooms.
5. Architectural Details
Even if you are planning to do a little bit of house make over, it is important to have good architectural details. Having a good base can make everything easier for your repairs and renovations.
6. Amount of Natural Light
Most people overlooked this factor. But you do not want to have a claustrophobic house and a lack of light can make you feel that way. If you have picked a few house to choose from, make sure you will schedule a visit at different times of the day to give you a more detailed idea of how natural light enters your soon-to-be-home.
7. Size of Rooms
There are no exact sizes of the room that could be perfect for everybody. It depends on your lifestyle. To help you choose the accurate size for you, imagine the furniture that you plan to set up there as you walk around. You can even bring measuring tools if you want!
8. House orientation on Lot
The positioning of your house on the lot affects the amount of natural light that comes in. It will also influence your electricity bills from your HVAC. For instance, if your house is facing south, you will be able to maximize the light while a north-facing house can be just as bright if you put your living room at the back side of your house.
9. Heating and Cooling Systems
If you are choosing to live in an area where the weather gets too extreme, good working HVAC system is important. If there is no heating and cooling system in place, it is expensive to purchase one by yourself. So finding a place that already has one can actually save you money and effort.
10. Driveway Length and Width
If you ignore this, you may have a problem parking your vehicles in your garage because the drive way is too narrow. On the other hand, a too wide one may leave you shovelling snow harder after a mega snow storm hits your place.
11. Number of Bathrooms
You want to look for a house with a couple of bathrooms inside. You do not want to get late to appointments because all of your family members have to queue in the toilet. Even if your family is not that big, an extra bathroom will definitely come in handy in some certain situations, like if you have visitors.
12. Staircase Steepness and Length
Even if you can go up and down the staircase with ease, it is still advisable to think ahead and consider the steepness and length of it. Imagine having your old parents or small children visiting your house. A long and steep stair can be dangerous and may not be the best option.
13. Kitchen Features and Laundry Room Locations
It is wise to have your wife decide on what kind of kitchen will suit your family since she is probably the one who will stay in there mostly longer. Let her have a checklist so you can inspect if it can match her needs. Same with the laundry room, since this is a chore that has to be frequently done, you don’t want it to be too far from your living room.
14. Closeness of Neighbors
Although the closeness of the houses mostly depends on the kind of area, you still want to have an extra space for privacy. Make sure you look outside through every window and walk around the perimeter to get an idea how near they are to the property you are checking.
15. The Neighborhood
You want to be in a place where there is access to most places you probably need to visit when you are already living in the community. Like school, church, libraries, shopping center, and much more. You also want to consider how reachable your place is through public transportation.