Buying a new home is a huge achievement that deserves a lot of celebration! However, this makes it very easy to get caught up in the process. Rushing towards the finish line is a mistake many can fall into when it comes to buying a home.
Imagining yourself waking up in your new bedroom, making breakfast in your new kitchen, relaxing in your new living room, are all tempting daydreams that can cause you to get a little carried away.
But don’t let these visions encourage you to rush the process. Closing that deal is something that needs a lot of consideration. You can save time at the end of the process by whittling through bad properties at the beginning.
This can make the entirety of buying easier to deal with, giving you confidence when talking to mortgage professionals, like those at PBS Mortgage Solutions, or for dealing with estate agents at house viewings.
Read on to discover all the things you may want to consider when looking for your new home.
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Create a Viewing Checklist
If you plan in advance, you can easily speed through the property viewings by keeping your preferences firmly in mind. This means you can quickly recognise practical areas of fault without getting distracted by the superficial appearance of the property.
This is particularly critical for those who don’t have a huge renovation budget, or for those who require a property they can move into immediately. There is no point, for example, in considering a beautiful Victorian townhouse if it requires lots of expensive renovation work that is out of your budget, no matter how pretty it might look on the surface.
There are many considerations you need to make. Is there any damp in the property? Is it structurally sound? Are there any leaks? Are the handrails on the staircase missing or broken? Is there disturbed asbestos in the property that needs to be removed professionally?
All of these questions place your safety as a top priority. If the property is not fulfilling these basic safety requirements, then you are able to make an informed decision on how much it would cost to get them sorted out.
It allows you to work out whether the current integrity of the property is worth your money, and whether it needs far too much work done to make it worthwhile. An informed purchase will make the process of buying your new home a lot less stressful when it comes to finishing and completing the deal.
What Improvements Will You Need to Make:
Sometimes, small issues with properties crop up over time, and are not something you can totally prepare yourself for. However, if you go into the viewings with a really critical eye, you will be able to decipher what immediate changes need to be made before you move in.
These could be safety related, covering topics featured in the previous paragraph, or more superficial problems such as tile preferences.
Does the property need new windows to be installed? Does it need to be guttered? Are roof tiles safely secured? Do you need to redo the carpets? Or does the kitchen need a contemporary renovation?
If you keep these questions in mind during the viewing process, it means you are less likely to be caught off guard by huge renovation jobs down the line.
Is There Enough Space?
Sometimes properties can be deceivingly small, and despite appearing large enough for you or your family, there just isn’t enough room. This could be due to limited storage or square footage, or maybe the layout of the house isn’t as space efficient as you expected it to be.
To avoid moving into a property that ends up being far too small, make sure you are vigilant about checking through for storage space and by calculating how much floor space will be left over when you move your furniture in.
Consider whether a renovation or extension project is necessary, and whether or not that is something within your budget. It is also worth considering whether you are able to wait for the extra space whilst renovations occur?
What Is the Local Area Like?
Do you have specific needs from your local area? It can be easy to become enamoured by a lovely property without considering how useful the nearby area is to you.
Do you require a house that has consistent and reliable access to public transport? Is it more convenient for you to be near a motorway due to a long daily commute to work? Do you have children that need an easily accessible primary or secondary school? Does your older teenager have a college or sixth form they want to be close to?
Considering what you need from the local area before you view houses means you can save a lot of time. Going into the search process with a focus is critical to making sure you are getting everything you need from your future local area.
Making the Decision
Transforming a house into a home is a long process that starts way before you purchase a property. Making careful considerations about all aspects of your new potential home will
give you the confidence that you are making the right decisions for you and your household.
Follow the advice laid out in this blog to ensure a really positive experience when buying your future home.
