What are the 5 most important topics you consider for buying a house?

Rodolfo
by Rodolfo
I'm speaking besides the neighborhood, infrastructure ( school, supermarket and other services) and easy access (transportation, roads)
  7 answers
  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Apr 09, 2017

    The garden/yard- check to see if there are any invasive weeds, or what state they're in in general.

    Neighbors are a really big deal, see if you can get a sense of them, are they nosy? Will they complain if you have an outdoor gettogether, ect?

    Is it in walking distance from some basic necessities? Market ect- so that you dont need to get in your car every time you're out of milk.

    And, of course if you like the layout- are you happy walking through it?

    Best of luck!!!

  • Location, is is good for you?


    Old or new construction? Condition of structure. Are you willing to maintain and update an older home and live through renovations? Or are you a buy and plop person and want it all done before you move in.


    Roof, electrical, plumbing, heating, a/c, sprinkler system - Are they in good condition or you will you have to shell out more money replacing in the short term?


    Appliances included? Stove, exhaust fan, microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal - are they included and serviceable at least for some time? Washer and dryer? Included or not? Quality appliances add up quickly.


    Yard - are you a garden person or not? Can you afford to hire a garden service?


    Flooring, can you live with it or will it need to be replaced? Painting, can you roll up your sleeves and paint a few rooms?


    Does the flow of the house fit your lifestyle? Enough bedrooms, bathrooms, entertainment space, office or craft space? Kid space?


    What about pets - they need to be considered too. Is the yard fenced for your small children and dogs? Can you afford to fence if not?


    Make sure you hire a licensed home inspector to find any flaws that might make the home a bad purchase. If structurally sound, cosmetic things can easily be brought up to date.


    I am famous for buying less than perfect homes and turn them into something much better. But, I am patient and willing to NOT live in a showplace and take my time doing things. Not everyone is like that, nor has the time or patience. My ex buys questionable homes and fixes and flips or keeps and rents out, but he is an engineer, has time and money to do a lot of the work himself, and hires out what he can't or does not want to do himself. In his younger days he would think nothing of reroofing himself, now - nope, would rather point and pay, but he knows how the job is to be completed properly. So what is the tolerence level of your family? Should be a determining factor.


    Happy house hunting! Remember, it is supposed to be fun!

  • As I got older and watched my parents struggle, I made sure that my house was going to be able to get old with me. Laundry not in basement, walk-in showers. Not too many stairs at the front door. Yard not to hard to maintain.

  • Peggy L Burnette Peggy L Burnette on May 02, 2017
    #1 location. #2 neighbors (you may have the best house in the neighborhood but look at your neighbors) #3 size of home #4 size of yard trees etc. #5 Price ( maybe that should have been #1
  • Mindy Mindy on May 02, 2017

    1. Location that fits your needs now and in future. 2. Is this the house for you in 5,10, or 15 yrs. 3. What improvements or repairs does it need. 4. Do homes in this area have good resale, are they kept up. 5. Does it feel friendly.

  • Bba593579 Bba593579 on May 03, 2017

    #1. Price/Valuation-Is the price in my comfortable range, and does said price match close to what you get? "Bang for the Buck!"


    #2. Neighbors? Noisy, quiet, party peeps, nosey, upkeep of their property?


    #3. Lot size. Also my #2'applies - along with "outside dogs,"....I hate when dogs bark constantly at night, even more when their owners don't make efforts to keep "dog chatter" vs true threat barks in check.


    #4. Does the house "fit" my needs? Can I easily see us living in this house?


    #5. Aside from the mortgage, estimated yearly property taxes?


    #6. General look and condition of the property and (if any) fences.


    #7. Though now retired, when I bought my house, the commute distance and time to get to work was also a consideration.

  • Rodolfo Rodolfo on May 03, 2017

    I have received many interesting answers. Thank you very much. One of the things that has caught my attention is that many people talk about the neighbors and the area where the property is inserted.

    The second point seems to me that the neighborhood is something easy to assess but the issue of the neighbors is an issue that is far from being solved by property brokers. This is a very sensitive issue as it affects the quality of life deeply and therefore the value we give to the property, it has to do with emotions and sensitivity.

    It is impossible to have references of the neighbors if they were obtained from the owner, since they obviously affect the sale. Then, what should we do?

    I think there are some points that reduce the risk:

    1.- To know in person the neighbors previously. It is not easy and I do not think that they would agree very much that everyone interested visits them to say Hello, but one coud try.

    2.- Find out through the property broker the approximate age of my future neighbors, if they have children, pets...because although it is not enough to know for sure it gives an indication of the probabilities of what could happen

    A.- Young couple without children> could be more inclined to parties, noisy meetings ...

    B.- Couple with children> pets, parties of various types

    C.- Mature couple> less noisy even if they have pets


    In my experience in most cases this assumptions are valid, what do you think?

    Would be good for buyers that property brokers provide such information?