One of the most exciting things about shopping for a home is dreaming about finally sitting in your new place knowing that you did the work to buy it. To get to this stage, there is a lot to consider when searching for a home to ensure that you get your dream home or close to it.
There are a lot of different ways to go about finding the right home. Chances are, if you are a first time home buyer you might not get exactly what you want in which case you will need to take a close look at your home wish list and your needs list.
Part of your upfront preparation for home shopping is to come up with two lists – what do you want in a home and what do you need in a home. Below is a list of items that depending on how you rate them they go into either a want or a need.
Characteristics of the Home Checklist
- Square Footage
- Number of Bedrooms
- Number of Bathrooms
- Floor Plan
- Interior Walls – Good shape – need painted
- Closets and Storage Space
- Attic - Basement
- Fireplace
- Cable TV
- Roof Condition – Flat Roof
- Exterior Condition
- Lot size and characteristics – Grassy, Wooded, No Grass, Irrigation
- Fence
- Patio, Porch or Deck
- Garage – how many doors
- Are there Energy Efficient Improvements
- Windows – screens, multi panes?
- Gutters and Downspouts
- Pool – Hot Tub
- Year Built
- Number of Stories
- Annual Real Estate Taxes
- Style of Home – Ranch, Split Level, Arts And Craft Bungalow, Contemporary
- Kitchen – Countertops, Appliances, Last Updated
- Laundry Room
- Carpeting
- Tile Floors
- Wood Floors
Neighborhood Characteristics Checklist
- Condition of Neighborhood – other homes
- Homeowners Association
- Traffic – stop signs, speed bumps, sidewalks, Cul de sac
- Proximity to Busy Streets
- Safe Neighborhood
- Age of Neighbors
- Children Present
- Pet Restrictions
- On Street Parking Allowed
- Zoning and Setback Restrictions
- Fire Station Close by
- Police Station Close by
- Snow Removal
- Is the Neighborhood Mature
- New Neighborhood
- Home Prices in The Area
- Trend of Homeowners – stay there or temporary
- Schools
- Age and Condition Schools
- Reputation of Schools and District
- Teaching Staff Quality
- Achievement Scores of Student
- Graduation Rate
- Play Areas
- Curriculum
- Class Size
- Busing Distance
- Location of Schools
Proximity of Home To Amenities Checklist
- Supermarkets and Grocery Stores
- Schools – Universities - Colleges
- Work
- Shopping Malls and Specialty Shops
- Child Care
- Hospitals
- Doctor and Dentist
- Parks and Recreation
- Green Belt and Bike Lanes
- Restaurants
- Entertainment – Movie Theaters
- Church – Synagogue
- Airport – Bus Station – Train Station
- Highways and Major Roads
- Public Transportation
Print this list of home characteristics to get you started on deciding what you want in a home. There is a lot to consider so use this as a guide. This isn’t the whole list, but this is decent list that should help you out. Your real estate agent will probably give you some sort of list too when they start working with you. At the very least they will go through a list of questions with you where you’ll cover many of these items found above.
If your agent does not cover something you found here then ask your agent for more information. It is their job to tell you what you want to know. Good luck and Happy House Hunting.
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