If you’re looking for a new home, especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer, you may not know exactly what you want. Buying a home in a huge investment, though, and once purchased, it’s not like you can simply return it or trade it in like a used car. Selling a house takes a good amount of effort, time, and even money, so you need to make certain the house you buy meets your needs. Many first-time homebuyers end up selling their house within five years because it no longer meets their needs. If you don’t want to end up doing that, these tips may help you determine exactly what you want out of your first home.
One of the basic mistakes many newlywed couples make when buying a home is that they purchase a small house just for them. They don’t think about their family growing, but many newly married couples start a family within a few years. They suddenly realize that the house they thought was absolutely perfect for them is now much too small for their growing family, and they end up trying to sell it, move, and either prepare for the new arrival or adjust to being parents all at once.
Another mistake people make is buying a house that’s too large for them. They may think they need a lot of space, but they later decide that it’s too much to keep up with. This is very often the case if they buy a house with a large yard to maintain.
Some people don’t take their health into consideration. Those who have had chronic knee problems, for example, may find that the two-story house they purchased wasn’t a good choice. The large yard might be a problem here, too.
Location is a factor as well. You may think having a longer commute will be fine, but after several years of making that drive twice a day, you might start to regret it. You’ll want to take into account the location of major streets as well. If your dream home is on the corner of a major intersection, you can be assured that you’ll be hearing traffic all night long. Light sleepers will definitely not get a lot of rest in such an area.
Make a list of all of these factors to use when looking for houses, and give a copy to your realtor, too. He or she will be able to use it to determine which houses you should look at and which won’t be a good fit.