If you’re interested in buying a home, there are a few preliminary things you need to consider before you pull the trigger. Among these, the most important are your home’s size, your yard, the exterior of the house, the amount of bedrooms you want, and the amount of bathrooms you want.
Deciding these critical things will give you the peace of mind necessary to make an educated decision. It will also make choosing a prime lending company easier. The more you understand about the home buying process, the more educated of a decision you can make when the time comes to choose a mortgage.
House Size
You don’t need to get the exact square footage down for your home, but you should have a relatively accurate estimate of how large your house should be. You can estimate this by deciding on the number of rooms you want in your home and choosing a minimum and maximum square footage. The number of bedrooms and bathrooms will help you determine the number of total rooms in the house.
The size of the house you buy depends on your familial needs and whether you will need to progressively fill out bedrooms. It makes no sense to buy a three bedroom house if you’re not looking to start a family soon. Conversely, you shouldn’t be looking for a one-bedroom, chic apartment in the city if you’re planning to start a family soon.
ONe of the primary advantages of having a larger house is that you have plenty of room for family members. However, smaller houses are easier to maintain and cheaper to furnish, which is helpful when starting out. The flip side of this argument is that if you go too small, you will wind up feeling cramped. Whether smaller living spaces bother you is a personal matter but if you have a spouse or family, you should probably run it by them before you pull the trigger on a house.
The Ideal Yard
The ideal yard is an American dream but you have to balance this with the size and location of your home. If you want to live near amenities such as grocery stores, entertainment venues such as theaters, and restaurants and bars for nightlife, a large yard might not be in your immediate future. However, if having a substantial plot of grass is what you prefer, you might want to forego all of the comforts the city provides.
You should also consider what you want to do with your yard. If you want a swimming pool, you will likely have to budget on your yard accordingly. Choosing your lawn also depends on your location. Many places in the US, such as the western states, don’t have enough water to maintain lawns. Instead, they use what’s known as “xeriscaping” to decorate their land. If you’re set on the traditional sense of a lawn, xeriscaping might not be your favorite compromise. to
The Exterior of the House
After you decide on the size of the home and the surrounding area, you should progress to the exterior of the home and its durability. You can’t afford to let your idea of the perfect interior cloud another important distinction, the house’s exterior. While buying a home, you should always opt for a home inspection even if your lender doesn’t require one. Doing so will help you identify any potential problem areas as well as giving you negotiating power.
Here are some of the main things to look at when examining the exterior of your prospective house:
- Roof: The roof of your house can cost beyond $15,000, so you don’t want to skimp on your examination. Check the integrity of the roof and find out how old it is. You won’t necessarily need to forego buying a home because of its old roof, but it’s something to consider.
- Foundation problems can quickly turn the rewarding experience of buying a home into one full of despair and heartbreak. To spot a suspect foundation, look for cracks in the walls. Doors and windows that stick or jam are another indicator of danger.
- Siding: Make sure you check the exterior walls for any damage or disrepair. This can include peeling paint, rotting wood, cracks, or other signs of decay.
Bedrooms
A good night’s sleep can make your day. A bad one can ruin it. When studying the bedrooms in your new home, decide what you plan to use them for. If you plan to use one for an office, its size and lack of a closet might not be of concern. However, if you frequently have guests and you’re planning to start a family, bedroom sizes and amenities might be non-negotiable.
Ultimately, choosing the number of bedrooms for your home comes down to personal preferences. Closet space, lighting, and window views should all factor into your decision but it’s up to you which ones weigh most heavily.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are also a critical room to ensure you inspect before making your decision. You need to make sure everything is in working order prior to making an offer. Flush the toilets, turn the faucet and the showers, make sure the fan works, and check for drainage and mold.
You might feel like it’s a little too much work to do before even buying the place but you will thank yourself later. Take a note of the type of shower each bathroom has. How elegant do you want your shower to be and does it have glass doors or a curtain? Is the bathtub made of porcelain or plastic. Remember, bathroom renovations are expensive, so ensure you’re content with your bathroom before making an offer.
Remaining Considerations
You can’t afford to neglect the following rooms and home features when deciding on your home:
- The living room
- HVAC systems
- The basement
- Attic
- Garage
Conclusion- What to Look for When You’re Buying a Home
There are numerous things you need to consider when buying a home. The most important aspects of buying a home are the house size, your exterior, the bathrooms and bedrooms. To make a decision on a home, you should be certain of the home’s condition. The last thing you want to happen is to think you have the home of your dreams only to find out it’s riddled with problems.
Asking these questions is an easy way to ensure you don’t run into problems with your home down the road. The trouble you save yourself by asking these questions will pay for itself when you don’t have to pay for renovations.
