Buying a house is probably going to be the biggest financial decision you make in your life and that means you want to try and tick as many boxes as possible when trying to find a place that will become your home.
Whether you are looking for a gated community like those at Mirada.Metroplaces.com or have any other ideas what your dream home might look like, it is an exciting time to start planning and working your way toward the point when you get the key and can start living the dream.
Here are some pointers on what sort of things you need to consider and the big questions you need answering before you can be happy that you have truly found the house of your dreams.
Turn on your senses
It is always a great idea to have a list of must-haves when you are trying to find the ideal place to buy and that can help you narrow down the options when you start checking which properties most closely fill your criteria.
However, buying a house that you are going to call home is a much more emotive purchasing decision than simply checking off all the things you want the property to have.
Open up your senses when you are viewing a potential property and try to imagine yourself living there.
Sometimes you walk into a place and it just feels right or you get a strong sense that the neighbourhood will be a good place to live and even raise a family in. You can’t rely on your senses alone to make a purchasing decision but it doesn’t hurt to listen to what your instincts are telling you.
You sometimes need some help
If you haven’t bought or sold many properties before it can be a daunting task trying to find the right property and arranging all the aspects of viewing and subsequent negotiations when you find somewhere you like.
You might want to consider using a realtor to help you find the home of your dreams and let them guide you with useful pointers and tips that you might not have thought about yourself.
Property professionals will often have their finger on the pulse with regard to all aspects of home buying from finding the right neighbourhood to guiding you on making an offer to buy through to arranging a home inspection and other aspects of buying that need to be completed long before any keys are handed over.
Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions, remember, this is a big decision and there’s no problem with taking your time and doing your homework to make sure you get it right.
Get your numbers right
It can’t be stressed enough how important it is to know what you can realistically afford when it comes to buying a home.
Stretching your finances to the max in order to get the home you really want could be a decision that comes back to bite you. It is always a big financial commitment to agree to buy a property and that means you have to work out your monthly budget and then see how much you can comfortably afford to pay.
Affordability is a big issue and it should be you that knows the answer to that question rather than relying on whether the lender considers you pass their financial stress test.
Consider your lifestyle
Another really important consideration is to aim to find a home that manages to fit in with your current lifestyle as well as your future aspirations.
If you lead a really hectic life and don’t have a lot of time or inclination to get out in the garden and do plenty of regular maintenance work it makes sense to find a place that doesn’t become a chore to keep.
Gated communities are popular because things like maintenance and upkeep can often be arranged and that could suit your lifestyle.
Also, think about whether you intend to raise a family and whether the home will be a good fit for that and whether it has amenities and schools close by that you would be happy to send the kids to.
Talking about your future plans when buying a house is a good strategy as it should help you to buy a property that is future-proof and meets your needs now and at a later date when your life plans start to evolve.
Talk to the neighbours
If you like the idea of living in a place where there is a real sense of community it makes sense to go and talk to the neighbours and also take a walk or drive around the surrounding area where you are thinking about buying.
If you are going to be buying a home in a gated community you can have a good idea of what to expect as it is likely that you will be amongst like-minded people who want the same living standards and amenities on their doorstep.
Wherever it is you are planning to live, make sure you explore the area and talk to people who already live there so that you can get a clear idea of what it’s really like to be there.
Think about saleability
Even if you fall in love with your dream home and can’t envisage leaving anytime soon there is always the chance that you may decide to sell at some point in the future.
It is worth thinking about how easy it is going to be to sell your home at some point in the future.
It will be nice if it rises in value over time, but not every property is that easy to sell, for a variety of reasons.
Check out how house prices have performed over time in the area and if there some obvious problems with the property or the neighbourhood, there is a fair chance that a prospective purchaser will make the same observations.
Once you have answered all of these burning questions and believe that you found the right place to buy, you can then start planning to turn it into the home of your dreams.
