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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