Monday, February 10, 2014

Buying a Property Step 2 - Defining what you want.

2. Defining what you want
This is the first goal. We have to determine what the critical factors are for you. Here are some elements to consider:

Style of Housing: Single Family, Townhome, Condo, Acreage, Lake

Age & Condition of Property: New, Recent construction (10 years), Average (20 years), Older home or fixer upper okay.

Square Footage: Greater than 1500, Greater than 2000, Greater than 3000, or more

School System: Is it important to stay in one system or near a particular school.

Kitchen: Is gas cooking or electric important? Granite counters, stainless steel appliances? Center island?

Living Areas: Do you need a game room, formal living, or an area for a home office or study?

Bedrooms: Many options exist such as bedrooms grouped together, secondary bedrooms split from the master, all bedrooms on the second floor, all bedrooms on the first floor, etc.

Bathroom features: Bathroom features can include garden tubs, jetted hot tubs, separate showers, double showers (very rare), jack & jill baths, and more.

Flooring Features: Carpet, vinyl ceramic tile, laminate floors, wood floors and stained concrete.

Home Owners Association: Many newer neighborhoods are in HOA's which include monthly or annual fees which pay for the common areas, community features and organizational management. HOA's often have tighter restrictions on property maintenance and upkeep. Consider this when buying a property in an HOA.

Once we define this list then I can begin searching the MLS for the properties that fit your needs. We can then arrange showings and view the properties until we find the exact home you want.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.