Things to Consider when Buying Your First Home


Buying your first home is an exciting but daunting time. It’s something everyone looks forward to, however, it can definitely bring its own challenges. There are many things to think about before even starting the house-buying process, and time should be given to mull over various factors before making a final decision.

first time buyer

If you are looking at buying your own home in the near future, it’s essential to make a few decisions regarding the property and what you might expect from it when going through the purchasing process. Read on for some helpful ways to make sure you buy somewhere that will be a perfect fit for you, which go beyond just looking at cost and size.

Consider the EPC

There’s a much bigger focus on energy consumption, and it pays (literally) to pay attention to the efficiency of a home. You can check to see if the house will be a suitable fit from an environmental perspective by looking at the EPC rating of the house/s you’re interested in buying. An EPC rating will indicate where the house falls on the scale – A being the most energy-efficient and G being the least. The EPC certificate will also show the potential energy rating the property could achieve if the recommendations in the report are implemented.

EPC Rating

There are things you can do to improve the EPC rating of a house if you are interested in an older home. For example, improving the insulation, installing double glazing or installing energy panels can all help make a home more energy-efficient.

By lowering your energy use, your monthly energy bills will be lower. Even if you need to spend some money on energy-efficient products, they will typically save you money in the long term.

Location, Location, Location

Another big thing to consider when buying your first home is where it is located. Your home will have a considerable impact on your happiness levels, so when you are deciding whether to put your money down and make somewhere your place of residence for the foreseeable future, it is essential to consider how realistic it is for you to reside there. Take note of things such as crime levels, commuting options, the shops in that area, as well as schools and the affordability of living there.

Outdoor Space

If there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it is that everyone craves a good level of outdoor space to roam freely. An increased demand for houses with gardens emerged over the last couple of years, so investing in a home with a good amount of garden space will not only help you to live happily but will also inflate the value of your home if, and when, then the time comes for you to move on.

In summary

Once you’ve nailed these different factors down and have had sufficient time to consider all the things you need to consider when buying your first home, the rest should come relatively easily when making your final choice. When investing in your first ever property, it’s important to get it right and ensure you’ve done all the necessary checks to know what to expect when it becomes your own.