What to Look for when Searching for a New House
The right way to find a new property is to call your preferred real estate agency and discuss all the details about your expectations and preferences. That’s why you should know what you’re looking for very well and here are a few key factors to consider when looking for a new house.
First – the location. It is essential as it plays a major role in determining the price of the house and can provide a multitude of other advantages. The location determines the distance from the most important areas in the city or how quiet the area is, if you prefer buying a house in the remote suburbs.
Second – the transport links of the area with all the places that you use on a daily basis. For instance, take the grocery shops: a great tip is to look for a house that is located close to big shopping centres if you have a big family and the shopping takes at least a couple of hours every day. Or else, think about the distance to your workplace or the distance to the kids’ school.
Third – the real estate agency. Choose carefully which agency will help you in the search for a new house, because that is an essential choice. There are agencies that are specialised in both buying and selling properties, and they have great connections with both sellers and buyers. Other agencies are specialised in either only buying or only selling properties. Check out for the discounts of the agencies if you use their complimentary services, for example – removals and storage, insurance or dealing with the paperwork on your behalf. Some can recommend a moving company too. The perfect agency is not always the biggest one. It is important to find the agency that meets your specific needs.
Fourth – the price. Of course, the price of the property is one of the main factors that should be high on the agenda when looking for a new home. You should visit the property and verify what you get for the price you pay too. Ask the real estate agency to search for more properties if you are buying a house on a budget.
Fifth – the utilities and the furnishing of the property. If you buy a newly built house with empty rooms, then you could furnish it to your taste and style, but if you buy an already furnished house then carefully inspect the condition of all the appliances and furnishings during the visit. Check out the proper functioning of the utilities too.
Sixth – think about the after buying house steps. If you are planning on moving home from a two- or three-storey house, then figure out how you will deal with the furniture removals. See whether the new house is comfortable for unloading a big removal van so as to avoid extra distance. Check whether the doors are too narrow to fit a large piano or an aquarium through, etc. This is a factor that you don’t want to underestimate, especially if you are planning house removals with all your appliances, furniture and decoration items from the old house.
Seventh – the green factor. If you are looking for a cheap house in long term then you definitely need to invest more in buying a new “greener” house. These offer numerous unmatched advantages such as solar panels, central heating, optimized natural lighting, and much more. All these advantages raise the initial price of the house, but the annual bills, such as for electricity, are lower.
Eight – the reputation of the quarter. This is essential for the security and insurance of your house. A great reputation of the neighbourhood gives other benefits too, such as less noise when you open the windows, less carbon emissions from the cars in the area, more playgrounds for the kids, and more.
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