Considerations
That Make a Difference
Aside from location, there are many other
factors to consider when buying a home. While a home will suit basic family
needs such as giving you a place to eat, sleep, park your car, and put
all your "stuff”, it is also a place where you should feel
comfortable, relaxed, and protected. Don’t get too emotional when
searching for a home. Always maintain a balance between your emotional
wants and your logical needs. For example, you may love how a house looks
so much that you overlook potential future problems. Here are some other
aspects to consider when looking for a new home.
Lot
and Landscaping
While real estate value is usually concentrated on the house itself (unless
you are settled beachfront), the surrounding lot and landscaping are important
considerations as well. Obviously, it should be as level as possible,
assuming the property is in a typical neighborhood, and the home should
be located as close to the center of the neighborhood as possible. In
short, you do not want your property to be adjacent to a busy street so
that it isn’t used as a shortcut between two busier streets.
Swimming
Pools
Swimming pools don’t provide as much of an added value as they used
to. Aside from safety issues, swimming pools often cut into the size of
the backyard area. While pools are certainly desirable, having a pool
may reduce the number of potential homebuyers if you try to resell the
home sometime in the future. If you are going to purchase a home because
of its pool, do so for your own enjoyment and not because you think it
will embellish your investment.
House
Size
In almost every neighborhood, houses vary in size and the number of rooms.
When searching for a home in a neighborhood, try and find consistency
in house size, but make sure they all don’t look exactly alike.
If future resale value is an important consideration for you, you may
want to consider avoiding the largest model in the neighborhood because
of how this might affect your overall appraisal and comparative value.
Conversely, if you buy a small or medium house in a neighborhood of larger
homes, this can help pull up your overall value.
Bedrooms
and Bathrooms
Three and four bedroom houses are primarily the most popular among homebuyers
because many are buying homes for an established or growing family. Depending
on your own specific needs and desires, try to stick with this range so
that you will have more potential buyers if it comes time to resell. There
should also be at least two bathrooms in a house, preferably more. One
bath homes seem a bit too confined and eliminate some of the privacy appeal.
Kitchen
and Dining
Never underestimate the power and value of the kitchen! Most family activity
actually takes place around the kitchen, even more so than the family
room, so this is often the most important room in the house. Larger kitchens
are better, especially if they provide modern appliances and conveniences.
Obviously, the dining room and eat-in kitchen area (if applicable) should
be easily accessible from the kitchen. Think convenience as you look for
a home…not just for you and your family, but for your future buyers
as well.
As we work
together to find your perfect home I’ll constantly keep you informed
of these and other factors so that you can always keep that working balance
between emotion and need.
Other Real Estate Articles
Buying a Home with the Future in Mind
The Right Impression, Every Time
Market Value vs. Appraised Value…what’s the difference?
Jim Finseth,
MBA
950 Artesia Blvd.
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Phone: (310) 994-1800
Email: info@LAdreamhome.com
Always use
a REALTOR®
CA Real Estate Number: #01318643