Many things need to be taken into account when buying a home. However, we often decide by emotion. After all, it’s a major purchase that will greatly affect your life. Emotions will definitely play a part in it. But letting those emotions control you, letting them make the decisions for you, may end up with you making otherwise preventable but costly mistakes.
Before you jump at a property for sale sign, remember that you need to factor in what you both need and want. Your purchase isn’t just some one-off purchase. It will take years to complete it, and you’ll be living at it for quite some time. To help you make better decisions, here are a few key reminders.
Location and Proximity Matters
When buying a house, you’re not just buying a physical structure. Part of your purchase includes being in the neighborhood, and since you can’t exactly pick up your new house and lug it around everywhere, the location is significant. Consider whether the property is close enough to necessary establishments, like your work, the school, the city centers, and others. Is it easy to access, or is it out of the way? These are the questions you need to ask yourself to determine whether the location will benefit you.
Another part of it is the culture of the neighborhood you’re joining. The surrounding people will be your neighbors; your lives will inevitably intersect with theirs. Look for a clean neighborhood with responsible homeowners around you. Doing so will help you feel more comfortable and encourage you to be a responsible homeowner yourself.
Livable Square Space
It’s common to see properties advertised with multiple rooms, but whether those rooms are actually of considerable size or not is a different issue. The livable square space of the property you’re interested in should match the number of people living in it. Don’t be fooled by the “number of rooms,” instead look for its total square meter. This will give you an idea of how much space you can work with and whether you need to look at a different property.
Also, consider whether you actually need multiple rooms. For example, a family of three might not need more than three rooms. But if the breadwinners of the family work at home, it would be very beneficial to have a spare room to turn into a home office. Consider not just the size but also your intended use for the size of the property.
Windows for Lighting and Air Circulation
It’s easy to be wowed by a house’s size and aesthetic design, but another important consideration is its functionality. While functionality in itself is an extensive topic, you can focus on the idea of windows. You heard that right, windows. Windows to allow both natural light and more efficient air circulation is a significant aspect of home architecture that’s often overlooked in today’s time.
Loo at the property you’re interested in and ask: are the windows large enough to allow natural light to come in? Is there a natural passageway for air to enter and exit? Windows facilitate both natural light and air, so you ideally want a house would adequately size windows. But why are sunlight and wind crucial to the indoors of your home? Because sunlight is important not just in making a house look and feel better, but to the ones living inside it as well.
Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D, a vitamin responsible for aiding our body to digest other nutrients. The air circulation in your home is also important, as the last thing you want is a home that’s hard to breathe in or has stuffy air.
Don’t Forget the Yard
Not all properties have a sizable yard, and some people might find this a deal-breaker while some won’t mind at all. Think of whether you have any use for one. A yard can be great if you have children growing up and would like a place for them to move around and play in. Or if you’re a sporty type and would like to have a space to exercise. Or perhaps, you have a green thumb and would like a space for your plants.
If you want a yard, do you prefer maintaining it on your own or leaving it bare? Will you be doing landscaping or keeping a personal garden? These questions are what you need to consider when looking at properties, especially since you might find some listing irresistible because they have that one feature you really like. However, consider the sum of all the things you’re looking for and decide based on that.
