Many buyers "just know" when they find the right home because they have done their research. 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 so be sure to print this out and keep it handy or pull it up on your smart phone.
One: The Home
Things to look over and ask about for each house that you look at:- Year built (Lead Paint?)
- Size/Square footage
- Number of bedrooms
- Number of full baths
- Number of half-baths
- Kitchen layout/size/storage
- Condition of walls (interior)
- Closets/storage space
- Basement – any strange odors? mildrew or mold?
- Fireplace
- Exterior appearance (condition of outdoor walls, overall appearance)
- Age and condition of roof
- Front and back lawn areas
- Deck/porch/patio
- Fence
- Garage
- Windows/screens
- Utilities: Gas, Electric, Cable TV/Internet
- Private Well? Septic?
Two: The Neighborhood
Things you will want to ask about, look into, and research about the neighborhood you move into:- Appearance/condition of neighboring homes
- Demographics of the neighborhood
- Parking
- Safety
- Police and Fire Protection
- Pet restrictions
- Parks/recreational facilities
- Traffic issues
Three: 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 (Reputation of school district, Private school locations (if you’d prefer), Age/condition of schools and buildings, Test scores of current students, Quality of teachers and educators, Play areas/playgrounds, Class sizes, Curriculum, School safety)
- 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?
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