If you’ve ever watched a real estate “reality” TV show, you know how overly-simplified they make the house-hunting and buying processes appear. The truth is, finding the right home can often be an emotional, stressful, and lengthy process.
To help things go at least a little smoother, follow these house-hunting tips.
Get your financing in order. If you need a loan to complete the sale, start that process before you get too far into house-hunting. You’ll have a better idea of what you can afford and be ready to submit an offer when the time comes.
Keep an open mind. If you’re looking for a bargain, learn to look past the orange shag carpet and avocado appliances. Instead, imagine what the home can look like with a little sweat equity.
Take notes while you tour. Chances are you’ll tour a lot of houses before deciding which one’s right for you. In the process, there are only so many details you can fully recall. So, take notes to help you compare all the pros and cons.
Tour the neighborhood. Drive and walk around to learn things like how well others care for their properties, how safe the streets are, is it as quiet or busy as you might like, and so on.
Stick to your budget. As the saying goes, you don’t want to end up house rich and cash poor. You never know what maintenance issues will creep up once you move in.
Consider resale value. If you plan on making major renovations like gutting the kitchen or building an addition, proceed with caution. You don’t want to overly customize or improve if the result is a resale value incompatible with the neighborhood.
Have the home comfort systems inspected. The mandatory home inspection only goes so far to determine the health of the home’s heating, cooling, and plumbing systems. As these are big ticket items, you’ll do well to have each one inspected by a pro to determine just how well they’re performing and what you can expect going forward.
For an expert opinion on home heating, cooling, ventilation, and indoor air quality, contact Air Professionals now or anytime – even if you’re not looking for a new home or planning to sell yours. Our preventive maintenance service helps ensure lower utility costs and longer equipment life, and that’s just for starters.