For most people, buying a house is considered an important life milestone. It’s a process that you’ll only undergo a few times in your life; after all, when people buy a house, they usually do so with the intention of living in that house for a long time. So when the task does lay in front of you, it’s important that you do it right- and buy a house that becomes a home.
But how do you know if or when you’ve found the perfect house?
Here are five factors to consider when looking for the perfect home.
Safety of the neighborhood
You can’t put a price on safety, or your peace of mind. The most important thing to keep in mind when you’re looking for a new place to live long term is whether or not you will feel safe and comfortable living there. If you ultimately don’t feel safe in the neighborhood you’ll be living in, it’s time to move on to the next house because that’s a dealbreaker one hundred times out of one hundred.
Location and convenience
Maybe just a rung or two beneath the safety of the neighborhood on the ladder of importance is the location of your house, and what’s within walking distance of it. This all depends on what you’d like to be near you. Do you want to live within a mile of a popular grocery store? Your office? Your children’s school? A church? A close friend? Perhaps all of the above? Convenience is everything in the real estate world, and if you’re looking for a place to settle down for the long haul, it may as well be in a convenient location for you.
Features of the home
This is another big one, albeit not a dealbreaker if the house you want doesn’t check this box. But ideally, you’d like the house you plan to buy to already possess the physical characteristics, amenities, and features that you want it to have. Some are more important than others, of course: an air conditioning unit is more of a necessity than a swimming pool in the backyard, although, yes, both can be installed. But in the end, if you’re down to two or three houses and one of them has all the features you’re looking for already built-in, that’s probably the one you’re going to wind up calling your next home.
Right number of bedrooms and bathrooms
Depending on how big your family is- or might become- you’re going to want to find a house that matches the physical needs of your family. Purchasing a house with five bedrooms when you’ve only got one child and don’t plan to have any more doesn’t make a great deal of sense, as you’ll wind up paying for a lot more space and appliances than you’ll really use. And on the inverse, you obviously won’t want to buy a house with just two bedrooms if you’ve got four children unless you truly have no choice.