Shopping for a new home is stressful. This is especially true now, as houses seem to be flying off the market. Homes are quite frequently even being sold for more than asking price. Key aspects are often overlooked in the race to obtain the property of your choosing. Here are three important things to make sure you do not overlook when home shopping.
Why are the Homeowners Selling?
This is not something that people always think to ask. We assume people are moving for a new job, change of scenery, to be closer to family, etc. However, this is not always the case. Noisy neighbors, too high of crime rates, a busy road nearby, too close to the airport, or any other number of problems could be the cause for a move. You get the point. All that being said, make sure you know why the home is being sold. You do not want to end up inheriting not only their home, but all their issues as well.
How Old are the Appliances?
Appliances are expensive. After the hefty expense of a house, you probably do not want to put forth a bunch of money on new appliances as well. Unless you are buying a fixer-upper, or budgeting for home improvement, find out how long the appliances are going to last you for. Along with this, make sure the appliances are checked thoroughly during your home inspection. That is your one chance to negotiate the buyers fixing any issues that the home might have – do not waste it.
Do You Like the Lot?
There are a lot of things that you can change about a house. Pretty much everything – except the lot it is on. With the rare exception, you cannot make a back yard bigger. If your heart is set on living in a cul-de-sac or having a corner lot, make sure you only look at houses with these placements. You can tear a house down entirely and build a new one tailored exactly to your desires, but you cannot pick up a house and move it. Furthermore, you need not only to be looking for your dream house, but you need to be looking for your dream lot as well.