When making a home purchase, a lot of excitement and planning can make you neglect significant issues after you move-in. It’s highly recommended that you error on being overly cautious than not. For most people, purchasing a home is the biggest financial choice they will make in their life.
Home Buying Points to Consider:
- Location – Always a huge factor. Do you like the neighborhood and its surroundings? Do you think the home will sell for more than purchased it for ? Is the area in need of gentrification or is it currently desirable? Can it maintain its value ?
- Neighbors – Are the neighbors friendly? Are they owners or renters? Is their landscaping nice or needs improvement? Bad neighbors can impact your property value, the wrong way. Proximity to neighbors; Some homes offer more distance from next door to another. Check the view from every window and walk the property to be sure.
- Amenities – How far are things to do? Are there parks within walking distance or miles away? Large planned communities tend to have local shopping and parks within a couple of miles.
- Schools – Are there good schools nearby? If so, it is good sign the neighborhood will retain its value or appreciate.
- Utility Bills – Request a copy of the seller’s utility bill for the summer and winter from their agent or the seller. This will help you determine if it’s on par or much higher than you thought.
- House positioning on lot – How much natural light a house gets is influenced by its lot position. This can affect the heating and cooling bills. A home that is south-facing usually receives the most natural light. However, a home that is north-oriented may be equally bright if the primary living space is in the home’s rear section and there are plenty of windows throughout. A north-facing home in a hot climate could be more effective if you want to keep your house cooler.
- Foundation – In California, you cannot overlook this potential problem. Check for cracks in the walls as it can be a great indicator there are possible settling concerns. Floor cracks should also be carefully examined.
- Roads – Is the home you are considering purchasing on a busy road? Roads that are very may require the city to expand it . You need to also assess if the roads are in good shape.
- Street parking – Homes in the suburbs or rural areas usually don’t have street parking concerns, but some cities and planned communities in Orange County do have unusual rules, permits, and regulations regarding it. Some places will not allow you to park in front of our own house at night.
- Inspection – Many older homes have something wrong during the inspection with cooling, electrical, heating, plumbing, roofing, etc. Even newer homes may not pass tests for Radon, mold, etc. Get a licensed home inspector to check and give you a quote for the cost of the repair.
- Size of rooms. Make sure during your walk-through that the rooms are not too big or too small. Visualize your own furniture in the rooms or just measure it if you are able.
- Days on market – How long has the home been available for sale and why so long? In most cases, there may not be anything wrong with a home because it has been for sale longer than others.