Making A House Buying Checklist [How To]

If you are hunting for a house, you’ll be comparing dozens of houses against one-another. How do you remember all the details of each house that you liked? 

Plus, with all of the steps in the home-buying process, how will you stay organized and meet the deadlines you have to make? 

Our solution, use detailed checklists. 

Your lists should have everything that you are looking for in a home, including prices and local area features.

What is a Home Buying Checklist?

This will be the sheet or document that has your needs in a property, plus your wants and the steps you need to complete

You should go with the basics of the home first. This would include:

• Price
• Location
• Ideal Mortgage Rate
• Size

Then have the added features you could want like:

• Pool
• Finished basement
• Fenced backyard
• School district
• Garage size

There is a lot to have on your checklist. It will be specific to you and your needs and it can always be updated.

Writing Down the Steps

There are a ton of hoops to jump through when buying a home – but they are all important. 

You need to look at homes, get pre approved, schedule inspections, and plenty more.

These tasks will have deadlines that you’ll need to keep in mind. You’ll need to keep organized to get it all done in a timely manner. It won’t hurt to write them down and ensure you’ve completed everything.

Lets go over a few more steps in detail:

1. Make a Budget: You need to know how much you plan on spending and how you want to spend the money.
2. Get Pre Approved: This will help you get through the buying process easier when you submit your loan application.
3. Get an Agent: They will assist you in finding properties that meet your criteria mentioned above and fitting in your price range.
4. Search for Homes: This part is the most fun. You get to walk through homes and explore new possibilities.
5. Submit Your Offer: It’s always exciting, making the seller know that you want to buy the property.
6. Get Home Inspections: You want to make sure that there aren’t any surprises from when you buy the home. So you get a professional inspector to tell you what may need some work in the home.
7. Negotiate: Depending on what is learned from the inspector, you may want to have a lower price or if nothing has changed it’s time to negotiate. Seeing what can be leveraged or used in your favor and deciding on the final price of the home.

Move In: Finally! The last step in buying a house is moving in and making it your own. Painting, adding furniture, and designing it for you wants.

Your Dream House = Your Priority Features

Since you are paying for this property it should be what you want. 

These are some major features that you’ll want to look for in your next home.

• Rooms Size

Accurate room size is one of the biggest factors that you should have on your home inspection list. It helps to see them when you are at open houses so you can get the full experience of the sizes.

• Interior Layout 

Interior layout plays a crucial part in lifestyle. You can have a more open design or a more traditional layout. 

There are plenty of different layouts and you can always match your taste.

• Window size and placement: 

This may seem like a weird one, but trust us. You’ll want to pay attention to the size, shape and placement of the windows.

Numerous buyers ignored it while inspecting the home. It should not be overlooked as modifications and replacements on them are more expensive than you’d think.

• Energy Generation

Check the home if it has a solar panel or if it has other green energy. Having green energy might seem inconvenient or unstable, but it does have its benefits. 

The biggest benefit would be a lower monthly cost for electricity.

• House Orientation 

Home direction can affect your heating and cooling bills. 

For example, in hot climates, a north-facing home with deep eaves may be preferable to keep your house cooler. So make sure to keep it in mind.

• Several Bathrooms

Adding a bathroom is a pricey amendment, so choose a home with enough baths to meet your family’s needs.

You want everyone to have privacy, but it depends on how much of your budget you’re willing to spend on bathrooms.

• Ceiling Height

This is mainly for those that either are on the taller side or have taller friends or family.

If someone in your household is tall, bring him or her along to the open house to make sure they fit in all the rooms comfortably.

You don’t want to have family members or guests crouching around so they don’t bang their head on the ceiling.

• The Neighborhood

You want your neighborhood to be fun & friendly, right? It should be a happy and trustworthy neighborhood that can convert your housing deal into a golden deal. 

Take some time and look at the areas you are looking for and see which neighborhood might best suit you. You can always take a quick walk or drive through it too.

Also check the basic amenities near to your prospective house: Schools, colleges, hospitals, amusement parks, or even restaurants.

• Kitchen Features & Fit

Things to consider in the kitchen could include its shape or layout, natural light, number of sinks, storage area and overall size. 

It is also good to note the countertops, cabinets, and appliances. Most sellers won’t take their appliances with them so those might be yours to work with.

Conclusion

Now you know what to include in your home checklist and hopefully found this guide useful. 

When you are researching the potential homes, keep this list nearby so you can mentally or physically check off what the property fits. 

The best help for you through the entire process is going to be having an agent that you can trust. They will be your guide and make sure everything is on track.

Source: https://www.fastexpert.com/blog/home-buying-checklist/