The home buying process can be an exciting time, since you're looking for a home to potentially start a family or upgrade to a nicer place. It's a huge purchase, and you'll be living in the home for quite some time. That's why it's worth taking the time to consider every aspect of the home to determine if it's the right one for you. Here are some things you should pay attention to when looking at homes for sale.
The Sizes of Rooms
You may be amazed at the tricks that are done to make rooms appear larger than they really are, such as photos taken with a fisheye camera lens, small furniture used for staging, or minimal furniture in rooms. It can also be hard to gauge the size of a room when there is no furniture in it.
It's a good idea to know the square footage of existing rooms in your home so that you can easily compare it to a home you visit as long as you bring your tape measure along. If you have a living room with less square footage, chances are you'll have difficulty fitting your existing furniture in it, and the home will feel like you are downsizing.
The Amount of Storage
You may be going through someone's home during a viewing and not feel like you cannot check out the storage. Storage is crucial in a home, and you want to make sure that the closets are big enough to move all of your stuff into. Even part of an unfinished basement can be transformed into storage if necessary, so do not write off that area of the home if the closets are lacking a bit.
The Age of Appliances
Many potential buyers don't think about how old the appliances are in the home they are about to buy. Appliances have life expectancies for a reason, since there will come a time when they fail and must be replaced. If the existing furnace, air conditioner, hot water heater, washer, dryer, and refrigerator are up there in age, know that these items may need replacement sooner rather than later. Can you afford to replace these expensive items? If not, you'll need to make sure you budget the money for emergency replacement of the major appliances.
For more tips on what to look for, work with a local real estate agent that can point things out to you during a viewing.
