If you’re a seasoned home shopper or are buying your first home being armed with the facts gives you confidence in your final decision. Between speaking to real estate agents and using the web you’ll find enough information to make an educated, informed decision on choosing the right home for your family.
Identifying your needs and learning as much as possible through strict due diligence will aid you in finding the right match.
Factor in Location
Perhaps your chief consideration should be the location of your home. You’ll likely choose a home depending on where you work and where your children attend school. You may be able to spruce up the property but you can’t move the plot of land nor the house. Keep in mind how the neighborhood looks now and how it may change in the future. New shops, bars and restaurants, transport links and new developments in the area all affect how your home’s value will rise or fall over time in relation to your neighborhood. New, trendy stores opening in the area can raise property values and new roads or rail stations can also raise the value of properties in the area.
Keep an eye out for developers building in the area. As homes and job opportunities become available through both real estate and commercial development expect to see the value of homes in the neighborhood to soar steadily.
Crime
Don’t just check the statistics online. Speak to people in the neighborhood to get the 411 on crime in the area. You may or may not receive accurate numbers from real estate agents or through internet research campaigns. Potential neighbors can clue you in as to whether or not you’re moving into a safe neighborhood.
Proximity to Friends and Family
Loved ones are likely a big part of your life. Move to an area within close proximity to your family and friends. If your job or other extenuating circumstances prevents you from living close to family try to move by an airport or other travel hub. Make it easy to hop on a plane or train so you can visit friends at least a few times each year.
Weather Issues
Before you sign on the dotted line take climate factors into account. Gauge the weather extremes of each season if you’re moving to a location with an unfamiliar climate. Somebody who wants to buy a home in Arizona may be shocked when they wake up for the first time during the night to nearly freezing temperatures. Depending on where specifically you’re moving and the time of season you need to become aware of temperature and humidity contrasts.
Does the area experience severe flooding? Moving to a spot near or below sea level or close to the beach can put you in a flood zone. If you’re considering a move to such an area or if your prospective home is subject to monsoon seasons you want to be prepared for any future weather problems during periods of extreme precipitation.