Deciding to buy or rent a new home is one of the most significant steps you can take in your life. Aside from marriage and having a baby, it is a milestone that you never forget. So before you even commit to a lease or contract, you have to check that everything is in order, like checking the average rent in Boston, Austin, New York, or anywhere! Viewing properties can be draining and confusing. So keep this list nearby and refer to it along the way, you may find it helps you settle on the right home. Just keep in mind you have to have your own idea of what you want before you begin.
Safety
The safety of a new home is paramount; you don’t want to buy or rent a house and find out that it is not suitable, safe or comfortable. Look out for things like the electrical certificate, if you are renting. Electricalsafetycertificate.co.uk are one of the companies providing a professional safety certificate for landlords, checking the electric installations in a home to make sure they are safe and installed correctly should be top of the priority list.
The same goes for gas and other utilities. All tasks need to be handled individually, but making sure you’ve done as much investigation into the overall safety of a property should always be number one on your checklist.
Practicalities
Are you able to get to work or school from your potential new home? Sometimes an extra 15 minutes on a journey may not sound a lot, but it can have an impact on your daily lives when it is every single day. You should also check where the nearest petrol station and shops are.
You don’t want to end up in the middle of nowhere if you like to stay close to services and other people, and on the flip side of this, you wouldn’t want to end up on a busy housing estate if the countryside is calling for you. These are all things that you can consider carefully before even viewing the home. But it’s always good to keep it in the back of your mind as well.
More recently this has expanded to internet services, and even though internet connectivity is widely available now, the level of service varies wildly. So before you hand over the deposit, have a little look at the speed test in that area, and see if it will work for you primarily if you work from home or have gamers in the house.
How It Feels
House hunters will tell you about how a home ‘feels’ to them when they walk into that perfect home. It doesn’t often happen in the first viewing, unfortunately, but eventually, you will find yourself in the right place at the right time, and ‘know’ instantly, that it’s the one for you and your family. But as much as you should listen to this instinct, if there is an opposite feeling, then leaving that house behind quickly is the best answer. Our instincts tell us things that we can’t always understand, but at the very least if you aren’t feeling comfortable in a house, then it’s a good idea not to sign on the dotted line to live there.
Budget
We all have a budget and promise ourselves that we are going to stick to it, but sometimes we fall in love with a home and have to have it. No matter what it costs. And if you can afford this, then it’s all well and good. But unfortunately, many people have found themselves in a difficult situation financially because they didn’t take good care of their budget.
Being honest with yourself about this from the very beginning will reduce the likelihood of it going wrong. It can take years to save a deposit one a new home, so being extra careful with these savings is essential. Not only is this true of the mortgage and potential initial outlay, but also for the monthly upkeep.
Gas and electric aren’t cheap and depending on where you live neither is council tax. So always take into account the monthly costs as well as the initial outlay, or you may find a surprise in your next bank statement.
So no matter whether you have a letting agent talking you through every little detail of a rental you’re viewing, or relatives trying to convince you to live closer to them, there should always be a list to follow. You must weigh up the pros and cons of a property before even considering if it is for you. You can do your best to find the right home, but until you are standing inside, there is no telling how you will feel. But, when it comes to living in a new home, you should always feel safe and happy there.