Need advice on buying first home - what should I look for?

Question

I plan on buying a new house soon and was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to check for. One friend told me to see how many outlets are in each room (something I never would have thought of). Does anyone have any other ideas from personal experience of what I should check out before buying a house?

I will definitely get all the major things checked out - thanks for the advice. I was thinking more along the lines of little things you wouldn't normally think of, but that could be a pain later on (like number of outlets per room).

Answer 1

Aside from the obvious, be sure to drive the neighborhood on a Friday afternoon/Saturday around noon to determine if it's full of creeps; measure the distance between the house and the nearest Apartment complex. You don't want to buy too close to an apartment complex because that's where the majority of the crooks live.

Answer 2

First of all you need to decide if you are going to be living in it long term or short term. If long term, Will you have children? If so what are the school systems like? Is the house worth more or less than the houses around it. If you ever have to sell the house, will you be able to get your money back out of it? Is it in good condition? Have you seen the inspection? I would be worth it to have a professional look at this. I can't tell you how many houses I have bought and later found out that there were some major problems. Plumbing is expensive! Make sure that it is in good shape. Also make sure that the roof is either new or has no leaks. If it is in northern climate, how is the insulation? Do the doors and windows leak air around them? This could get to be expensive in the winter. Make sure all the lights work. Ask about the electric and water bills if not a new house. Another good thing to do is ask neighbors around if the previous owner ever complained about the house. This is a great way to find out about problems. Then make sure if there were problems, that you see receipts for fixed problem! Good Luck
Jessica

Answer 3

I strongly recommend investing in a home inspection be done by a professional. They will check out everything from top to bottom.
Roof, plumbing, electrical, foundations,etc. Can cost some money but worth every penny. I was able to reduce the price I paid for my home due to an obsolete heating system. I am a single female & knew nothing about buying a home or what to look for. My son-in-law who owns his own construction firm in another state told me it was the best way to know what I was getting

Answer 4

My best piece of advice is to get a home inspection by a qualified professional, as they will notice things you will not. That will help ease your mind that soon after move-in, you will not have to spend thousands to fix something.

When you look at the properties, really look at them. Do not look at decor or colors as those things mean nothing to you...they are the product of the seller's tastes. Look at the home. Does it have niches you think are cool? If you are a home theater nut, is it pre-wired? If not, can you do it or will have to pay for it? Consider what you will use each room for. Then, examine for issues. Like, does it have enough outlets to do what I need it to do? How close is the laundry room to master bedroom? Will it keep you from sleeping if someone does a load of laundry at a weird hour?

Finally, remember that your first home is generally a "starter home". It is meant to be lived in, improved upon and then sold. You have to consider what areas of town are stable or are up-and-coming. Equity, equity, equity!!! That allows you to move up in your next purchase.

In each and every case when I have bought I home (5 now) I walked into the place and it just felt like home. If you do not get that feeling, move on by. Look at gobs of properties- hire a realtor, darlin', and then decide. Since you are the buyer, the realtor will take nothing out of your pocket and has access to tons of stuff that you, or I, as a layperson, does not have.

I sure hope this stuff is what you are looking for. Best of luck to you on your home purchase. Oh, one more thing. Best start doing hand exercises now to eliminate the writer's cramp that inevitably occurs as you are signing your life away at the title company! Phew, wait until you see the piles of docs you must sign! :-)

Answer 5

How good are the window locks?
Are the windows double glazed?
How about what is called a ledger installed on an outside wall where you might sometime want a patio roof installed.
Insulation in the garage ceiling and exterior walls. We didn't and now the garage is SSooooo hot in summer and SSoooo cold in winter, we can't even work out there. Retro fit is a bummer.
Really good termite protection.

Answer 6

Check around the foundation for any cracks and also look in the basement for any cracks in the block. Look to see if the basement walls are bowed and also look for any evidence of dampness. It's good to go after a rain if you can so if there is any water in the basement you will be able to see it. Also check the roof for leaks and ask how old it is. Look at the furnace and hot water tank and see if they are going to need to be replaced. Ask if the electrical service has been updated.

Answer 7

SPACE. Don't be drawn in by the decoration, do not pay attention to what colour the walls are..
It's all about quality and SPACE, you can always repaint rooms, you can't buy more space.
There are smaller things to worry about like plug sockets...Get a surveyer to make sure there are no serious problems with the house e.g. dampness, mold etc. that could cost you a LOT of money to sort out