Believe it or not, you can have it all and live the high life on a budget. Here are top tips on how to find the perfect house, no matter what that phrase means to you.
1. Have I selected the right location for its weather?
Not only will the right weather provide you with comfort in your home, but it will also save you money on insurance and utility payments that you would otherwise fork over in order to maintain a home in that location. You also narrow down your selection if you pick your home by location, because you will have more time to drill down into the particulars.
2. Have I selected the right culture for my interests?
Your home does not occur in a vacuum. The perfection of your home will definitely be affected by the neighborhood that you live in. You will also gain more utility from your home if your community is one that likes to share resources like a pool and a gym in a homeowner’s association (HOA)Â or a co-op structure.
3. Have I selected the right houses for my budget?
Another way to keep from wasting time dreaming about layouts and structures that are out of your budget is to use the resources available to you to narrow your search by budget. Contrary to what you may believe, this does not keep you from any luxury. It redirects your attention into properties and structures that will give you those luxuries. For instance, if you cannot have a backyard pool, then you should look at HOAs with a clean, modern community pool. You miss out on nothing, and you use all of your time looking for the best feature set.
4. Do I know the different organizational structures that may expand my resources?
As stated before, an HOA or a co-op can greatly expand your resources if you are looking for certain luxury items on a budget. However, you may also prefer luxury neighborhood structures like those found in the Dunthorpe neighborhood of Portland/Orem, Oregon. These community resources like included lawn service may also save you money that will allow you to redirect your funds into home expansion.
5. Am I considering the usable floor place or the floor space stats?
Too many people base their housing options on the stats rather than on the actual usable floor plan. Newer architectural structures create more floor space than older structures because of improved materials and designs, much like the cell phone gets smaller and skinnier as its technology advances ahead. The 1500 square foot home built in 1950 has much less floor space than the 1500 square foot home built in 2014.
6. Is the neighborhood friendly towards my special needs?
If you have a pet, then you should limit your search to pet-friendly neighborhoods. The homes will invariably be built to this standard, as the previous owner will have likely chosen the home or modified the home to the same ends. This also applies if you are taking care of an elderly parent or an indigent relative. Look for a neighborhood that has properties already built for these contingencies.
7. Do I require a turnkey house or can I upgrade?
If you have DIY skills or you are on a budget, then you may be looking for a fixer upper. Assuming that you properly negotiate the price down based on a contingency list, you save money this way, and you get to customize the house to your exact specifications. However, your perfect house may be a turnkey home because of your need to experience life outside of the home as a young professional or a general outside person. You can narrow your search more based on these criteria and more quickly find the perfect property for you.
8. What is the yardspace like?
Do you need yardspace to stretch out, or can you survive with a small back and front yard? This will directly affect the location of the properties that you consider, as metropolitan areas tend to place more of a premium on space than rural or suburban areas. If you are claustrophobic, then you may need to live a bit farther away from the city and spread out. If you like people, then you may choose a structure that is closer to a downtown area. However, considering your preference here before starting the formal process of bidding is essential.
9. Does the architecture agree with me?
Every house, whether a fixer upper or a turnkey property, will have a certain feng shui that either agrees with you or not. There is only so much upgrading you can do without destroying walls and getting involved with all kinds of regulatory bodies. If you have the time and inclination to do this, congratulations. For most people, the basic layout, floor plan, and architecture make a big difference in the housing.
Narrowing down the properties by your preferences will save you time at this point in the process, because there is no way to decide on this criteria outside of visiting the home.
10. Is there room to expand the home?
If you are looking to expand and customize, then you need a home with the square footage and yard space to do this. Perhaps the customization that you need to make your perfect house can only be accomplished by you, and that is fine. However, pick a property in an area that does not have an overlord for a regulatory body or neighbors who frown upon expansion.
2 Point Highlight
Newer architectural structures create more floor space than older structures because of improved materials and designs, much like the cell phone gets smaller and skinnier as its technology advances ahead.
For most people, the basic layout, floor plan, and architecture make a big difference in the housing.
