Home Buying Mistakes You Can Avoid
Home buying is an emotional process. Ideally, you should set aside your emotions when you’re evaluating a house. But in practice, keeping your emotions in check can be difficult at best.
Make a list of items to check:
One way to help make it easier is to sit down before looking and make a list of your
- Must Have’s – Your non-negotiables. You swim every morning, you need a pool.
- Nice to Have’s – it would be nice if you could have it, but not a deal breaker. A sink in the laundry room.
- Deal Breaker’s – A definite non-starter. The house backs to a busy street.
Take a copy of your checklist every time you visit a house. Take photos so you can cross each item off your list. If you fall in love with a house and it doesn’t have any of the Must Haves on your checklist it will at least make you pause and think.
Learn about the Neighborhood
If you’re retired and buying in a neighborhood with small children, school buses, and basketball hoops, will you be happy there?
Buying the View
Unless the land between the house and the view is already completely developed, or you will own the land between your house and the view, don’t buy a house for the view across a piece of vacant land that you do not own. There are too many unknowns that can make you regret your purchase. A new development with 2 story homes could be built in the future between you and the view. What if the land is rezoned commercial and a shopping center goes in? In either case, you’ve lost your view and the view premium you paid when you bought will no longer apply when you go to sell.
Look beyond Staging
Staging psychology does work. Staged houses look far better than houses that have not been staged. When considering a house, try to mentally remove the staging. Example; a room is beautifully staged with a sectional in the middle of the living room with end tables and lamps on each side. But there aren’t any electrical outlets where the lamps are! It would take a significant remodel to make that layout work. Pay more attention to the layout of the house and the structure itself. Ugly wallpaper and paint can easily be fixed later.
Back Story
When you’ve narrowed your choices down to one property for consideration. Take a few minutes to chat with the neighbors, ask them about the neighborhood and the house, they’ll let you know if there are any problems you should be aware of – neighbors love to talk. What they say can cement your decision that this is the perfect home for you or it could save you from making a mistake.
Talk to the current Gardner and Pool Service; they can shed light on the condition of equipment and if there are any problems that may need to be fixed soon.
There are many things to consider when looking for the right home to buy; if you’re starting out on the journey to find the right home for you and your family, you’ll want to read our Guide to Home Buying, how to avoid common home buying mistakes.