Some Things to Aid Your Home-Buying

The below home-buying tips should increase your satisfaction with the home and amenities you decide on.  Too many times “buyer’s remorse” sets in soon after a purchase is made due to overlooked features important to the buyer or necessary to proper enjoyment of the home.

• Air-conditioners with scroll compressor and high efficiency rating.
• Multi-stage central air-conditioning units that adjust to changing load requirements.  These provide high efficiency, excellent comfort, and better control of humidity.
• White or light-colored roofs reduce the cooling load in summer.
• Outside HVAC units placed on the West side of the building will not be as efficient in summer due to the heat load, they are working into.
• Buy title insurance
• Have a property survey done even if not required for your closing.
• Keep accurate and complete records of all transactions and proceedings.
• Be sure the contract correctly specifies your intent.  This may require the services of an attorney…not your real estate agent or the one you think is yours.
• If you do not have an agency agreement with the realtor, it is unlikely that he/she is representing your interests and may even be responsible to the other party.
• Make a list of and prioritize your likes, must haves, and dislikes:
  1. type of house.
  2. location (views, proximity to work & entertainment, school locations).
  3. colors.
  4. furnishings and decorating requirements.
  5. rooms, baths, dining, work areas, play areas, storage, layout, special requirements (e.g., single level for disabled or elderly), flower and vegetable garden areas, trees, etc.
  6. materials internal and external.
  7. outside living amenities.
  8. lighting.
  9. routine care and maintenance required.
  10. renovation that might be required to bring up to your standards.
  11. If you hire a home inspector, be sure he/she is adequately protecting your interests and not the interests (risk reduction and consummation of a sale) of the realtor.  Learn ahead of time what will be inspected and how.  Be there when the inspection is conducted, review the inspection results with the inspector, and ask a lot of questions.  Don’t settle for canned, computerized answers in the report.

 

House Hunting Checklist

How to Buy a House