No matter what kind of home you're looking for, there are some key features to
consider. Your RE/MAX agent will ask many questions before the hunt begins.
Where will your family spend most of its time? Kitchens are a popular family gathering
area. Make sure your prospective kitchen can handle the traffic. You may also want an
eat-in kitchen or one with a breakfast nook, allowing you to keep the dining room for
special occasions.
How much bedroom space do you need? Some people prefer small, plentiful rooms to house
children, frequent guests or a home office. Others prefer fewer, larger rooms. Of course,
if your budget permits, many large rooms would probably be ideal!
Bathrooms are also a major point to consider. How many bathrooms does
your family need to handle peak traffic times? Is one enough? (Not likely!)
While one per person might be more like it, that dream may not be
affordable. Make sure the home you're ready to purchase has sufficient
bathroom space and that the bathrooms are comfortable. When looking at
bathrooms, ask yourself how important a window is for light and fresh air.
Note: Hot water is always a problem with a large family. You can have to
upgrade if you're looking at older or smaller homes.
When it's time to relax and entertain, how will your prospective home meet your
needs? Do you want a formal living room or a rec room where your family can stretch
out and watch television? Do your children need a play area or your teens an
entertainment room?
Attics and basements can be wonderful storage areas - or can serve as additional
living space. If extra space is important, you'll want to consider a finished basement.
Everyone seems to have their own definition of what this means. Take a good look at the
workmanship. Was it done by a professional? Do you see yourself redoing a sloppy job? A
poorly finished basement can be more work than a completely unfinished area. Some signs
to watch for are moisture along the floor lines and corners of exterior walls and pungent
odors which may indicate moisture, mildew, and/or mold damage that can be costly to repair.
One brief word about closets: Look at the clothes you have now. Add another half, and then
look for closet space to hold it all. If you're like most of us, you'll never have enough
closet space!
Heating and cooling systems are also key features to consider. When it comes to heat,
natural gas, oil and electric furnaces are all options. Older homes may even have hot-water
radiators. Still other homes have baseboard heaters. Make sure you find out about the
maintenance and condition of the heating system as well as annual operating costs. If you're
thinking about air conditioning, think about how expensive it would be to add central air or
if a window unit would suffice. Try to get on a home appliance service plan with the utility
company. For a minimum monthly or annual fee you'll have guaranteed repair service.
As you can imagine, each type of home has its advantages and drawbacks and no two buyers will
have the exact same wants and needs. The only way to truly evaluate which home is right for
you, outside of price, is to consider what you absolutely must have and what you can live
without. Before you go house hunting, prepare a list of both.
