Friday 10 June 2011

The Lowdown On Buying a Home

By Wes McFarland


Buying a home can be super stressful. You want to make sure that whatever house you purchase, it's worth every penny. To make the process go faster and smoother, it's good to have a checklist. Draft criteria for choosing a house and stick with it as much as you can. Although, it's rare to find a house that's got all of the items on your list. When you come across houses that lack one or two, this is where willingness to compromise comes in handy.

Buying A Home Pointers

Sadly, many go into home buying armed with minimal minimal criteria. For some, a house is a keeper if it's got marble countertops or has a big yard. Others expect the unrealistic, disregarding homes that fall short of the stuff on their list. You've got to understand, buying homes also calls for some compromises here and there. The things that initially catch your attention aren't always the same things that would bring you long-term happiness.

Compare the different houses in the neighborhood. Are they all the same or does the neighborhood encourage diversity in design? Note the size of the houses too. For some people, having a homeowners association is a huge deal while for others, it's not a deal-breaker and can be disregarded. Whichever group you belong, just always remember that it pays to be informed about such issues before buying a home.

Are you interested in two-storey residential structures? The price-per-square-foot is fairly affordable compared to the other houses on the market, but don't just consider them because they're cheaper. You should also factor in the energy you'll have to expend to constantly climb and descend the stairs. Room functionality, which is something that's tough and pricey to change, requires looking into as well. A room with ample storage is never bad. If you'll be entertaining or cooking a lot while living in the house, the design of the house should accommodate such an activity.

Look at the floor plan. You have to examine room functionality. This is one aspect you can change, but it will depend on your financial picture. The place you pick should have ample closet and cabinet storage space. Consider the activities that you'll be most busy with - entertaining, nightly storytelling, cooking and gardening and how the house is designed for them. With two-storey homes, there are benefits and drawbacks. They might be cheaper per-square-foot, but you'll have to lug up and down stuff using the stairs.

Most shingle roofs last over two decades (15 to 25 years to be exact). It's good to have an idea of the roof's age so ask how old the roof on the house is. The same goes for the pipes, but be sure to ask about the type too if you've got your eye on an old home. To know what utility expenses you'll be in for by buying a home, get a copy of last year's bill.

Other minor details to pay attention to are the crown mouldings, hardware fixtures and countertops or cabinets. Are they what you had in mind? If they are, and the only thing standing between you and buying a home is the faded paint on the walls, don't let it interfere with you making an offer. Such flaws are fixable or can be replaced without difficulty.




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