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When you’re house hunting, you want to make sure that everything will be perfect in the new house you decide to live in. So, you start daydreaming and visualizing what your dream house will look like without actually paying attention to the important details of the house. Although there might be a lot of options out there, there are a few factors, like your budget, house location, and the state of the house to look out for. If you want to know how to prioritize the features of your dream house, keep reading the following guide for some useful tips:
Be Picky
Rushing something as important as hunting for a new house is not wise. You have to review all the houses you see and be picky in your choices, especially when it comes to the location of the house. For example, living far away from the city proper can be quite problematic for you, as the daily commute will take a long time, not to mention driving kids to school. According to Jeff Stewart of Stewart Realty LLC (https://www.stewartrealtyllc.com/), you can enjoy a country lifestyle in Idaho while still being close to conveniences such as stores, schools, and places to eat. So, before you see the house, make sure it is within reach of all the places you frequent daily.
Know What You Want In Your Dream House
Before you head out to check houses, it would be useful to create a list of what you want in your new house and what features you would enjoy. For example, what is the preferred size of the house, the condition, age, how many rooms and bathrooms you’re going to need, whether you want a fireplace in your house or not, the architectural design of the house, and so on? All of these queries should help you decide what kind of house you want and if you have the budget for it. It should also help you narrow your search scope and make the task of picking a house way easier.
Check Your Budget First
After you have decided what you want your house to look like, make sure you know your exact budget to manage your expectations. This means that you will do a couple of calculations in this step. Some people prefer to follow the 25% step, which means that your mortgage should constitute 25% of your monthly income. However, some people prefer to pay more than 25% as this means they will pay less interest over the years. Either way, you need to make sure that you can afford to pay your mortgage so you don’t end up in an endless cycle of debt.
Check The Basement
See if there is water in the basement; this will give you an idea of the integrity of the house. If it has been raining recently, then there is a good chance that the basement will contain remnants of water if there are issues with the structure of the house. This means that you should look for the source of leakage to deal with it or pick another house altogether.
Pay Attention To The Walls
You are buying a new house. This means that your house should be in tip-top condition. To make sure of that, check the walls of the house and see if there are any cracks. If there are, this means that the house structure is not in its best state, so unless you want to pay thousands of dollars worth of repair, you should steer away from houses that have this issue. Small cracks are probably nothing to worry about. Large cracks, on the other hand, are a red flag and might even cause leaks.
Check Out The Floors
Make sure to take a look at the floors and see if there is sagging, dipping, or anything unusual in the flooring. These symptoms are a strong indicator that there might be something up with the plumbing of the house. It can also mean that there are problems with the house’s underlying structure that can take a while to fix. However, if the sagging is between the baseboards and the floor, then the joists might be the problem, but they can be easily fixed.
Take A Look At The Roof
This is one of the aspects that people tend to miss when buying a new house. Damages to a house’s roof and structure will cost a huge amount of money to fix unless the damage is small. This is why you need to assess the situation first. If the house is old, it may have multiple layers of roofing, meaning that there could be hidden damage below. While this could be difficult to observe just from looking at the roof, you can consult a professional. It will also be a plus if the roof comes with a warranty.
Observe The Environment Outside
You won’t just check the location of your house, but you will also have to check its parameters. You should take a look at the yard, the street, the trees, and so on. Trees can pose a great danger to the owners of the house. They can either catch fire, fall over, and cause damage to your house, or, if the leaves are falling over your roof, they can block your gutters and cause problems like mosquito infestation, damage your house infrastructure, and more. So, make sure that the trees are trimmed.
Beware Of Mold
Mold can be easily missed, but the consequences of letting it fester in your house are grave. Aside from the obvious damage to the structure of the house, mold can cause leaks that can affect the air quality. The dampness will attract bugs and, in the worst-case scenario, will lead to asbestos. So, it’s better to have an inspector see the place. If the inspector confirms your suspicions, your real estate agent can negotiate with the seller to cut off inspection costs from the price of the house.
House hunting is not an easy task. When you find your knowledge lacking in some way, it is better to bring in an expert with you to point out the things that you can’t see. Don’t hesitate to call in an inspector if you suspect there’s some damage inside a house you are interested in, as this will give you a good idea of whether to purchase the house or to keep looking somewhere else.
