Shopping for a home can be so fun! You have been dreaming and planning, and now you get to seriously consider what might be one of the biggest investments of your life! After 20 years, I’ve noticed a BIG difference in what experienced buyers look for during a showing of a potential home that they’re interested in. Here are just a few:
Garage dimensions: Will my vehicle fit? How deep is the space? And how tall? Can we fit our garbage cans and other storage items?
Hot water heater: How long will I have to wait for hot water to get to the fixtures in my bathroom? Does it take 5 minutes or 30 seconds? It sounds ridiculous, but a lot of water is wasted while waiting for it to warm! Plus, it’s just annoying to sit and wait for the hot water.
Staircases: What’s the layout of this staircase? Will it be impossible to get a large sofa to the basement? Do we have to turn a corner to get our mattresses upstairs? Logistics matter! Sometimes a lot.
Window treatments: Does the home already have them? Do we like what’s there? What is the cost to get what we want?
Yard topography: Does the backyard slope? Will we have a summer swamp? Does it puddle after a heavy rain?
Electrical outlets: Some older homes don’t have as many electrical outlets or may have them in weird places. It’s annoying if you can’t put your TV where you want to!
Closets: Not having enough closets (or not having them in the right places) can be really frustrating, and that’s not something that’s easily fixed.
Some of these things seem so random, but if you’ve ever owned a home with conundrums such as these, they’ll likely matter to you moving forward. And none of these things are items that would show up on a disclosure form. To remedy them, there will be added costs or complications.
So, what do you think? Any other items that bug YOU in a home?
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