Checklist: Things to look for when buying a house

Choosing a house suitable for you and your family is one of the most important decisions you have to make in your lifetime – right there next to choosing your profession and partner in life. It comes hand in hand with a lot of planning, excitement, stress and enjoyment. Even though at first glance you might think that a certain house is perfect for you, this is often not the case. There are many things to look for when buying a house, and they include much more than the color of the walls.

1. The location is one of the most important things to look for when buying a house

Location, location, location. It all comes down to this. The location of your new house is the one thing you will never be able to change, so choose wisely. When considering whether to buy that house you really like think about its proximity to important facilities.

Is it close to your work?
How far is the nearest hospital?
Are there any good schools or kindergartens around?
Any shopping malls or supermarkets in its vicinity?
Are there pubs or other entertainment venues nearby?

If the answer to most of these questions is no, think really hard whether it`s worth it investing a lot of money in a place that is not so convenient. It also makes a world of difference whether your future house is in the suburbs or not, so think in advance which option is better for you.

One of the things to look for when buying a house is the location — The location of your future house is everything.

2. The neighborhood

When buying a house, you are not just looking for things, but also people that will suit you. Your neighbors are the people you will be around probably for the rest of your life. Therefore, it only makes sense to pay a lot of attention to your future neighborhood. Swing by your possibly new street a couple of times in order to inspect the noise levels. Make sure to visit the street during different parts of the day in order to get the real picture. Furthermore, pay attention whether the neighbors maintain their houses and yards, because no one wants to live near an eyesore.

3. The size, position and number of rooms

This one really depends on a person`s individual needs and plans. Assuming you already own some furniture, think about whether it will fit in the room you are viewing. Sometimes empty rooms tend to seem bigger than they really are. Only when you start putting your furniture in do you see that the original size was just an optical illusion. That is why the size of the rooms is one of the most important things to look for when buying a house.

Furthermore, pay attention whether the bedrooms are facing the west, since these rooms tend to get very warm all year round. Finally, think about the future. Are you planning on having more kids? Is there a possibility you will be needing an extra guestroom? It is better to take into consideration how many rooms you will need in the future than how many you need right now. This way, you can avoid making an irreversible mistake.

Configuration of rooms – one of the most important things to look for when buying a house.

4. The condition of the roof falls under the most important things to look for when buying a house

Pay special attention to this one. After all, the roof is what keeps you safe and sound during the rainy and snowy weather. Do not take your agent`s word for it, but get a professional building inspector to check out the place. The most important thing to pay attention to are:

The material of the roof
The age of the roof.

Newer roofs have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years – again, it all depends on the material. Replacing a roof is a very big expense so make sure that you won`t have to do it as soon as you move in.

5. Are you going to need any renovations?

When buying a house it is crucial to look for any immediate or future work that will need to be done on it. While there are definitely some pros of renovation – after all you do get to create your dream house – there are also as many cons. If you are planning to do a lot of structural work, be ready to drop some serious cash. These types of renovations are very expensive. As with everything else, being prepared is the key to success. Figure out your budget and try to do all of your renovation before moving into your new place. However, whether you renovate before or after your move, you will have some serious cleaning up to do after it`s all done.

In case you are not one of those lucky people who happen to have unlimited funds, don`t worry. Sure, you might have to settle with renovating only the essential things. The important thing is that there are still plenty of ways to renovate your house on a tight budget.

Renovation – think carefully about it when buying a new house.

6. Decide what your deal-breakers are

There are a lot of things you can compromise on when buying a house. Whether that`s the paint job, the number of bedrooms, the tiles in the bathrooms – it is all up to you. However, every person has some things they are not ready to compromise on. You can save yourself a lot of time if you make it clear in your mind`s eye exactly what those things are. So arm yourself with a list of things you are absolutely sure you don`t want your new house to have and get going.

So, there you have it – the most important things to look for when buying a house. After all is said and done and you, hopefully, choose a good house for yourself, you will need to transfer all of your valuable possessions to your new location. Do your research, hire a good moving company, and start your new life in a brand new house.