Shopping for your dream home can be exhausting and extremely time consuming. You can't take chances by just viewing any old house, which is why you utilize the services of a licensed realtor. Their job is to guide you through the home buying process and show you homes that tick almost every box on your new home wish list. But aside from what's on your wish list, there are certain parts of the home that you should be looking at in terms of safety, security and reliability. Here are four important items that you should look for when house hunting.
4 Important Things To Look For When House Hunting
1. Roof Damage
The exact age of the roof on a home that's for sale is generally not known unless it's a selling point; otherwise it's assumed that the roof is the same age as the rest of the house. That means there could be damage and repairs that need to be made that the current homeowner isn't even aware of. It's a good idea to ask questions about the roof, such as:
As a buyer, this information could be useful in negotiating a lower selling price.
2. Energy Costs
There's no harm in asking the current homeowner (or their realtor / representative) to give you an estimate on energy costs for the home you might be buying. While you certainly aren't asking for copies of their utility bills, it would be helpful to have a ballpark figure for heating and cooling the home, and a motivated seller should have no problem providing it. Speak to your realtor to see if it's possible to get this info, and let them know it's an important factor in your decision making process.
The exact age of the roof on a home that's for sale is generally not known unless it's a selling point; otherwise it's assumed that the roof is the same age as the rest of the house. That means there could be damage and repairs that need to be made that the current homeowner isn't even aware of. It's a good idea to ask questions about the roof, such as:
- The age of the roof
- The material it's made of
- The actual condition it's in
- Have any repairs been made to it
- Has the current homeowner noticed any leaks in the walls or ceilings
As a buyer, this information could be useful in negotiating a lower selling price.
2. Energy Costs
There's no harm in asking the current homeowner (or their realtor / representative) to give you an estimate on energy costs for the home you might be buying. While you certainly aren't asking for copies of their utility bills, it would be helpful to have a ballpark figure for heating and cooling the home, and a motivated seller should have no problem providing it. Speak to your realtor to see if it's possible to get this info, and let them know it's an important factor in your decision making process.
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3. Pests
If you move into a new home and find you have pests, you'll need to call an exterminator right away, especially when it comes to those that are not easy to rid of. Pronto Pest out of Oak Park, Michigan can give you the deets on everything you need to know about hiring a reputable pest control service and perhaps get on a regular maintenance program. While termites, bats, mice and bedbugs are generally required to be disclosed by sellers by law, there could be instances where you are not informed, such as a townhome next to yours or an apartment above or below you, for example.
4. Your Neighbors
Neighbors come in all shapes and sizes, and you don't want to move into a new neighborhood full of loud or nosey folks. Trust me, I've got one (and the nickname we gave her isn't pretty). To get an idea of what the neighborhood is like, try striking up a conversation with nearby residents. Do a drive-by at morning, afternoon and night to see if anything changes; what it's like at 10 a.m. may not be the same at 10 p.m. If the neighborhood is completely new to you, pick up a local newspaper or search Facebook for neighborhood groups. The locals should be able to clue you in.
If you move into a new home and find you have pests, you'll need to call an exterminator right away, especially when it comes to those that are not easy to rid of. Pronto Pest out of Oak Park, Michigan can give you the deets on everything you need to know about hiring a reputable pest control service and perhaps get on a regular maintenance program. While termites, bats, mice and bedbugs are generally required to be disclosed by sellers by law, there could be instances where you are not informed, such as a townhome next to yours or an apartment above or below you, for example.
4. Your Neighbors
Neighbors come in all shapes and sizes, and you don't want to move into a new neighborhood full of loud or nosey folks. Trust me, I've got one (and the nickname we gave her isn't pretty). To get an idea of what the neighborhood is like, try striking up a conversation with nearby residents. Do a drive-by at morning, afternoon and night to see if anything changes; what it's like at 10 a.m. may not be the same at 10 p.m. If the neighborhood is completely new to you, pick up a local newspaper or search Facebook for neighborhood groups. The locals should be able to clue you in.
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