Home Buying Checklist

A home buying checklist can make a huge difference in your search for a new home. How do you know which house is the right house for you? Once you are preapproved for a home loan, the next step is to create a checklist. A well-thought-out checklist can help you make rational decisions based on your wants, and more importantly, your needs. Here are a few items we recommend you keep in mind when creating your home buying checklist.

• Location: One of the most important points on any home buying checklist is where your future home will be located. The main factor to keep in mind is where the members of the household will need to commute to, for example, work or school. Other things to note are the city property taxes, crime rates, and school district ratings. Sit down and determine that the area fits your situation best.
• Layout: Now that you’ve determined the area in which you’d like your next home to be, determine what type of layout is important to you. Do you need all bedrooms on one level, or would you prefer to have a master retreat away from the kids? Would you like an open floor plan, or do you prefer clearly separated rooms? These are important details to note on your home buying checklist.
• Number and size of rooms: How many people will be living in the home, and do they all need their own bedroom? Is a guest room important for the in-laws, or would you rather they stay at a hotel when they come to town? Make sure you have enough room, without buying more than you need.
• Bathrooms: There’s very little appeal to a ten bedroom home if there’s only one bathroom. Adding bathrooms later can be expensive, so decide how many you need to live comfortably.
• Windows: When walking through your potential new home, pay attention to the window size and placement throughout the house. Windows let in natural light and help the space feel more open and inviting.
• Lot size and grade: Walk around the property and take note of the lot. Keep in mind, a large lot will take more maintenance, but a small lot will often result in close neighbors. Also, to help keep water out of the home, you’ll want the terrain to slope away from the home.
• Parking: An easy-to-overlook detail is the parking situation. Does the home have a garage? Will you need to park on the street? Depending on the area, this could be a major issue.
• Heating and cooling systems: Depending on the climate of your location, heating or air conditioning could be essential. Take note on your home buyer checklist of the heating and cooling situation in the home.
• Laundry room location: Seems like a silly thing to put on the home buyer checklist, right? Well, you’d be surprised how important it is. Would you prefer the laundry room to be in the basement, far away from the bedrooms, or would you prefer it to be on the main living level or even on an upper level?
• Organize and prioritize: You could spend months, or even years, searching for the dream home in your budget. Taking notes on your home buying checklist regarding what’s most important will help you compromise where needed and make a calculated decision.

Finally, once you’ve found the house that you hope to purchase, set up a home inspection to make sure everything is in good condition. When you’re ready, contact the home inspection experts at Inspect-It 1st. Even if everything looks good to the eye, it’s crucial to let a professional look at every aspect of the home to assure that you are making a good purchase. We’ll set you up with an honest top-to-bottom inspection!