Choosing the Right Home for You

Purchasing a home is a huge investment and shouldn’t be taken lightly. When finding the perfect home, it is essential to consider your future and what you need from a home, local area, and surrounding areas. This could be ensuring there are good schools in the area for kids or the house is within a perfect commutable distance for work.

Sometimes, it’s easy to rush your hunt for a new home, however, you should take your time to ensure that your needs are met and that you are happy in your new home. These tips can help you think carefully about your purchase and guide you to make the right decision when choosing the right home for you.

Thoroughly check property-finding sites

The modern way to find the right property is through property-finding sites. The days of checking estate agents’ windows are long gone and using huge property websites allows you to explore way more homes to help you find the perfect place. However, it is best to be cautious and many of the selling prices on these sites show what the seller wants, not what they’ll get. 

You can use Zoopla, Rightmove, and other sites to compare what houses are available, so you can compare prices, locations, and features. This is ideal when trying to find your perfect home rather than sticking to one site. Plus, comparing via a few sites allows you to broaden your search and see what’s available so you can find the right house for you. 

Check out the neighborhood

Location is a huge factor when it comes to finding the right home for you. If you’re not happy with the neighborhood, then it will be difficult to settle and enjoy the new home. Even if a house is perfect, but the neighborhood isn’t what you expected or wanted, then the home is more likely not the right one for you.

Explore the surroundings of any house you are interested in and see what’s close by. This is the best way to get a feel for the location of a new home and helps you decide If the neighborhood meets your requirements.

Chat with a local estate agent

To find out the best information about any home, it is worth getting to know your local estate agent. They can help guide you in your decision-making as they know everything about each potential property. Getting chatty with estate agents also helps you gain valuable insights for your property search and if a property is still available, as many are sold before they are online. 

Ensure to be friendly as estate agents see many people daily and let them know you are a serious buyer. If they see this, they will feel more inclined to assist you and guide you in any decisions.

Thoroughly inspect at a viewing

When viewing a property, it is vital to thoroughly inspect the home before you make a decision. This is important as you can spot any problems, potential problems, damages, and things that need to be fixed. Depending on what you want from the house, if you find serious damage, it may be a deal breaker. You may want to easily move into a home without the need for DIY or you may want a renovation project. 

If you’re looking for a project then finding damage in the walls, needing tools or materials, such as mdf cut to size, may excite you as the worse the condition the more challenging the project. However, generally, many people don’t want the hassle of fixing and changing structures, and some may not even want to decorate.

See what’s being built in the area

If you’re happy with a home and the area it’s within, then it’s always best to do some digging to find out what’s being built in the area. Maybe you love the home because it’s got an amazing view, the roads are accessible, or it’s in a serene area. You don’t want to end up disappointed when they start to build a new housing complex bringing more people into the area or blocking your outstanding view. It is best to be prepared and check what is happening in the area before committing to a home. 

Think about the future and if it suits

When trying to find the right home, it is best to think about what you want in the future and if the home gives you that. These could be good schools for potential kids, close to family members for when they are older, or within a commutable distance for work or a future job. It’s all good living in the moment but you don’t want to invest in a home for future you to feel uncomfortable and then move again. The right home will suit you at the moment and for the future.

Ask questions to the seller

Asking questions to the seller can give you valuable information and insights into a potential property. Think of the information you need and want to know and write as many questions as possible down to ask the seller at a viewing. Doing this will allow you to make the most informed decision to find the right home for you.

Some questions you can ask are:

• How many offers has the property had?
• How long has it been on the market?
• Have there been any neighbor disputes?
• What renovations have been done?
• How old is the boiler and when was it inspected?

Choosing the right home for you can be a challenging and slow process but it’s best to take your time before committing to a property. Follow these guidelines to help you find the perfect home that works for you and provides you with all the requirements you need.