And As Any New Homeowner Knows, Every House Does Have Flaws

Category: Finance, Real Estate.

When you re shopping for a house, it s easy to be so enthralled by a huge fireplace, a well- placed skylight or a sunny kitchen, that you are blinded to all of the house s flaws. The best way to avoid making a serious mistake is to walk through the house twice before forming a firm opinion.

And as any new homeowner knows, every house does have flaws. The first time, take a look at the layout and the general feeling the house evokes. Here s a list of items that are often overlooked by novice homebuyers. The second time, pay more attention to the details. Take the time to note each of them on your second walk through the house. Traffic Flow.

While most of these items are mundane and none of them are glamorous, they have a lot to do with your ultimate satisfaction if you buy the house. Is the dining room next to the kitchen? Are doors, halls and passages big enough, and in logical places? Is the laundry room too far from the bedrooms and bathrooms, where most dirty laundry is generated? Do you prefer a kitchen with an exterior entrance? Try to imagine your family flowing through the rooms during a normal day- is there enough room, or are they tripping over each other? Do you need a mud room?

Are the bedrooms grouped close together? However, they won t always be small. If you have young children, this may be an advantage. For older children and teens, having bedrooms that are widely spaced is ideal. Is there a fire hydrant nearby? Fire Hydrants& Fire Stations.

Fire hydrants within 600 feet and fire stations within 3 miles usually mean lower insurance costs. Is the stove gas or electric? Utilities. What s the capacity of the hot water heater? How old are the furnace and air conditioner? Is there central air conditioning?

What type of fuel does the heater use? Most sellers will tell you their average monthly utility costs. Depending on the part of the country where you live, gas may be cheaper than electricity. Just keep in mind that if you re addicted to air conditioning, or have a huge family, as the saying goes, "your mileage may vary. " Lot Size. This may initially seem like an advantage- after all, you want more property, right? Is the lot huge?

Well, not necessarily. On the other hand, maybe you prefer to spend your weekends standing beside a trout stream, or sitting in a darkened movie theater. If you re an avid gardener, the larger lot size might be perfect for you. If you d rather play golf than manicure your own swath of greens, skip the huge lot.

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