What To Look For When Buying A New Home

*Collaborative Post

If you’re buying a new home, then you need all the help you can get. This list can help you with your search because while you think you know what you want and that the most important thing is the number of rooms and the condition of the kitchen, there are other factors you need to consider before you make an offer:

Location

Many Estate Agents will tell you that the three most important things when buying a new home are the location, the location and the location! You can change almost everything in the house, but you can’t change the neighbourhood and neighbours and the area. When you’re house hunting, you need to consider the home’s proximity to work, the charm of the neighbourhood, how the home is situated, ease of access, noise from neighbours, traffic, and pets, as well as access to parks, shopping, schools, and public transportation.

 

The Size

You might think that you want four bedrooms and four bathrooms but do you need them? While A large house can give you the room you’ve always wished for a study or a games room, but you’ll have to pay more for heating bills, and you’ll have higher taxes. It will also mean buying more furniture to fill it and spending money to decorate it.

 

The Bedrooms and Bathrooms

How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? Only look at new homes that meet those criteria because it would be a shame to fall in love with a cosy, charming cottage that isn’t big enough. If you’re looking at something that you know you might want to extend in the future then make sure you consult an architect who can advise you on space planning, lot usage, and city regulations before you commit to anything.

 

The Kitchen

If the kitchen is the heart of your home, don’t settle for a house with a kitchen that won’t work for you and your family. You can always get a new kitchen, but it is costly. Don’t worry about appliances because they can be easily replaced but check if you can you replace cabinet faces and countertops? Will you be able to do an inexpensive makeover and will it be sufficient for you?

 

The Closets and Storage

Older houses often don’t have a lot of storage space. If you have lots of sports equipment, out-of-season clothes, holiday decorations, kids toys, etc., make sure you know where this will fit in your new home. More modern homes tend to have big closets and lots of storage, and you can always add more storage space if you need to, but you might have to sacrifice some living area to do this.

 

The Windows and Lighting

Do you want a bright sunny room or do you prefer your privacy? When you look around potential houses, have the light and sunshine in mind, also look at where electrical outlets and fixtures are and how they will accommodate your lighting needs. You can add the ideal light fittings when you move in, but it’s still nice to see how it would all look like beforehand.

I hope these tips have helped you to look at what to consider when buying a new home and have given you a little more confidence to carry out more viewings.

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.