Looking for new homes to buy is always an exciting experience. It can be fun to see other places and imagine your own furniture in the rooms or think about how great it would be to watch your children grow up there. However, before you get carried away with how awesome some of the features of the new potential house are, it’s best to make sure that it has some must-have elements as well. Before you go house-hunting, prepare a list of the features any new home needs to have, and this will help you make a good decision. Here are some ideas to get you started.
New Homes Checklist; 4 Things to Look For
Storage
If you think of where you are living now, do you have enough storage or would more be better? Keep that thought in mind when you go visit new homes with a realtor and make a special point to notice how much storage it has. If there is less than you have now, could you really cope with it? If there is the same amount, will that be okay, or could you actually do with more? Measure closets and other storage spaces to see exactly what size everything is and then compare with what you already have. You also want to consider growth and calculate that into what you will need in your new space. It’s important to ensure that all of your belongings are going to fit, especially if you plan on staying in the property for many years.
A Good Commute
If you work away from home, you’ll need to take a good look at your commuting times from each of the properties you view. Just because it’s only a handful of miles between the house and the office that doesn’t mean it’s a pleasant or easy journey. There might be traffic every day turning what, on paper, is a quick drive into a nightmare that is much longer than it takes you right now. If you take public transportation, there may not be many trains or buses running when you need them. Check all of this out and even do the commute at various times of the day if you’re really keen on a particular property. A good commute equates to a better quality of life.
Temperature Controls
If you live in a warm climate, you’re going to want an air conditioning unit. In a cold climate, you’ll need to know that the heating is good. Take a look at what is already in the house. Has the heating and cooling been well cared for and maintained by a company such as O General? Or will you need to pay out to get things fixed after you move in? Ask questions of the realtor and the vendor to ascertain this information, and you could save yourself a lot of money.
Good Neighbors
Having good neighbors can make any property better. Bad neighbors can make the dream property lose their appeal. Neighbors are something that can often be thought about far too late to make any difference. Before you commit to anything, knock on the neighbors’ doors and introduce yourself. You’ll get a feeling of what they are like straight away, and you can then make an informed decision. This is also a useful way of finding out more about the neighborhood in general as you can ask questions about it.
Other posts you might enjoy:
The New Home Handbook; A Step By Step Guide
A New Home; How to Make It Feel Like Home
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About the Author: Patricia Davis Brown
