It’s important to do as much research when you can when
you’re preparing to buy a home. And while it’s necessary to read up on
everything you can before you begin searching, it’s also important to have a
quick-to-access home buyer’s checklist. I’ve listed all of the key things you
will want to look out for and ask about while you are house-hunting, so be sure
to print this out or pull it up on your smart phone – to guarantee you cover
everything you need to assure you find the perfect home!
Step One: The Home
Here is everything you will want to look over and ask about
for each house that you look at:
·
Square footage
·
Number of bedrooms
·
Number of full baths
·
Number of half-baths
·
Condition of walls (interior)
·
Closet/storage space
·
Kitchen storage space
·
Basement –if applicable
·
Fireplace
·
Cable TV/Internet
·
Exterior appearance (condition of outdoor walls,
overall appearance)
·
Front and back lawn areas
·
Deck/porch/patio?
·
Fence
·
Garage
·
Windows/screens
·
Age and condition of roof
·
Cost of utilities
Step Two: The
Neighborhood—(this would be where the Buyer Advisory would help a lot)
Here is everything you’ll want to ask about, look into, and
research about the neighborhood you move into:
·
Appearance/condition of neighboring homes
·
Safety
·
Noise level
·
Traffic issues
·
Kid-friendly? Average number of children per
residence?
·
Parking
·
Police
·
Fire Protection
·
Pet restrictions
·
Parks/recreational facilities
·
Trash removal
·
Insurance fees for home
Step Three:
Schools
If you have children or are looking to start a family in the
next few years, here are the things you’ll want to check for in relation to
education:
·
Age/condition of schools and buildings
·
Reputation of school district
·
Test scores of current students
·
Quality of teachers and educators
·
Private school locations (if you’d prefer
private school)
·
Play areas/playgrounds
·
Class sizes
·
Curriculum
·
School safety
·
Step Four: Community
It’s important to live in an area where you not only love
your house, but you feel at home in the community. Here are some things you’ll
want to ask about:
·
Schools
·
Religious community centers
(churches/synagogues/etc)
·
Shopping centers/grocery stories
·
Proximity to your place of employment
·
Hospitals
·
Doctor and dentist locations/quality
·
Parks and recreation
·
Restaurants
·
Entertainment (movie theaters, shopping malls,
etc)
·
Airport
·
Proximity to highways
·
Public transportation – bus? metro?
Need help finding the right home in the Phoenix Metro area- Call me and I can help!
Elaine
Beery
480-570-1912
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