Tips for House Hunters

Tips for House Hunters

In yesterday’s blog we discussed some tips to look out for when house hunting, including storage space and the importance of location that can add value to any property. To be prepared speak to Australian Property Building Inspections to ensure your new home is free from any impairments that may cost you money in the future and have us organise your building inspection reports and pest control reports. Here are a few other areas that should be considered before you purchase your property.

• Lighting and Windows

Decide what you prefer, are you after a sunny light filled home, lots of windows or do you prefer a more private setting, we are all different. What type of lighting do you prefer in your kitchen and bathroom, do you like downlights or pendants. Is the current lighting appropriate for your needs if not how difficult and expensive would it be to replace? Does the home have enough electrical outlets to accommodate the needs of you and your family? If not, you can always change the lighting when you move it but how long would this take and how expensive might it be.

• Situation Factors

Think about the home in the future, as you get older do you plan to stay there, if so is the home on the hill and is the hill steep, are there lots of stairs to climb and are they easy to navigate, do you have your neighbour’s windows or verandah facing directly into you home. Are there fences for your children and/or pets to keep them safe, is the size of the yard appropriate for you and your family needs. Is there access to your property that is safe and how many stairs are there at the front and back doors. If you are a keen green thumb who enjoys pottering in the garden is the size of your yard big enough?

• The Kitchen

Many of us love to cook and consider the kitchen to be the heart of our home, take your time in the kitchen and ask will it suit your needs, is there enough bench or storage space for your needs? Yes, you can always remodel or repaint but at what cost and how long would the renovations take?

• The Neighbourhood

Moving into a new home often means a new neighbourhood so have a wander through the suburbs at both day and night and look what your neighbour’s properties are like, is the area and neighbour’s properties tidy and maintained. Do you prefer a quieter neighbourhood or the hustle and bustle of a busy neighbourhood full of cafes and shops and is your neighbourhood well light at night and safe to walk around after dark? Be sure the neighbourhood, and not just the house, meets your expectations and ensure the neighbourhood is safe for your children.

We all have a number of property requirements we all have before deciding on our new property, visualise what it is you need before you start looking an understand your needs, and where possible don’t settle on a property if your basic expectations are not met and remember at all times to stick to our budget.