| Buyer's List of 15 Things to Look for at a Showing |
- The most important thing is not look at a house emotionally, but practically: inspect all its positives and negatives. Though home-buying involves the heart as well, it should never get in the way of what your head is telling you.
- Explore every nook and cranny. Pick up rugs to examine the floor. Open closets and smell them. Do whatever is necessary to find out everything about the house's basic structure.
- Try to ignore any furnishings that don't come with the house. They won't help you make a sound decision.
- On your first showing you should look for a house that meets your basic requirements:
- Does it have enough bed and bathrooms?
- Is there enough storage space?
- Is there parking?
- Is it in a safe area?
- Is it in the right location?
- If the house meets your basic requirements, start looking to fulfill your wish list:
- Is there an extra bed or bathroom?
- Is there a double vanity in the second bathroom?
- Is there a garden or deck?
- Is there a separate laundry room?
- Is there a basement or crawl space?
- Is the garage attached?
- Can the kids walk to school or does the school-bus pick up nearby??
- Is there a wood-burning fireplace or a gas fireplace?
- What is the condition of the house - its appliances, roof, foundation, walls, mechanicals, wiring, etc.?
- Start with the general, and then move on to the specific.
- If you're still having trouble deciding, you might want to apply a simple rating system, such as assigning points according to the items most important to you. This should help you objectively differentiate among your choices.
|
|
|
|
