Looking for a house is a stressful experience, especially for new buyers who may not be sure what things to look for when buying a house. These house hunting tips help buyers evaluate houses, organize their thoughts, and purchase the right home.
Identify Preferences and Must-Haves before House Shopping
Before looking for a house, it's important for buyers to know what they want in a home. Make a list of features that would be desirable in a home, such as a large yard, a two-car garage, lots of storage space, a dine-in kitchen, minimum number of bedrooms or bathrooms, or a short commute to work. Be specific and rate the features in number of importance.
Take MLS Listings with a Grain of Salt
Being able to browse MLS real estate listings on the Internet can be both a blessing and a curse. It's good practice to use the Internet to see what's out there, but don't make any firm decisions before seeing the house in person. Remember that online listings don't usually mention undesirable characteristics like location next to a train station, and sometimes poor MLS photos and descriptions might not do justice to a really great house.
Take Notes when House Hunting
Shopping for houses is usually a long process. Without a system for evaluating houses, they all start to look alike. Bringing along the MLS listing sheet for each house and taking detailed notes prevents that. Looking at these notes later will help buyers to recall aspects of the house that they had forgotten. If there is any additional information at the house for buyers, make sure to pick up a copy.
How to Rate Houses Numerically
When it's time to make an offer, choosing the right house isn't an easy decision. It can be agonizing trying to the features of several houses against each other. Buyers can simplify the process by making a spreadsheet with the homes on the left side and the preferred features of a home across the top row. On a scale of one to five, rate each house on each characteristic and add up the sum. The answer might be surprising.
Any buyer's checklist for looking at a house should include identifying important features of a house ahead of time, using MLS listings wisely, taking notes, and rating each house before making an offer. Buying a new house is never easy, but with these house hunting tips it can be much more manageable.
Other house hunting articles:
Buying a First House - explains the 4 things every person must do before they actually start shopping for a new home.
Steps to Buying a Home - breaks down the process of buying a house into manageable steps, from looking at homes to getting financing.
How to Choose a Realtor - criteria for evaluating and hiring the best real estate agent possible.
Jenny Evans - Jenny Evans is a freelance writer and editor specializing in parenting and the family. She is also the Mormonism Topic Editor for ...
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