Buying a House? These are The Features That Really Matter
Getting a foot onto the property ladder is one of the most exciting milestones in any adult’s life. And with it becoming more and more difficult to do so, you owe yourself a huge congratulations if it’s something you’ve managed to achieve. For young couples and first time buyers, chances are your budget isn’t huge and you’re limited to the properties you have to choose from- however, it doesn’t mean it’s a decision to be taken lightly. While no home is likely to have everything you need, there are a few features that it’s worth looking out for.
Eco-Friendly Features
Eco-friendly features are very desirable, and something that should be on your wishlist as a homebuyer. Not only do they help save the planet, but they will also save you money on your bills too. Cavity wall and loft insulation, energy efficient windows and solar panels are all great features to keep an eye out for. There are quite a few incentives out there these days which allow you to get cheaper solar panels for your home. However, a property that has them already will save you time and hassle. If the home has built in appliances which you don’t plan on changing, checking that they’re energy efficient is beneficial too. The last thing you want after making an expensive purchase like a house is to be stuck with sky-high running costs!
The Area
When you’re buying a home, the area is just as important to research as the property itself. Ideally, you will visit at different times during the day and weekend to see how busy it gets. You will check out local parks and schools- even if you don’t have children now, they will be important if you choose to start a family later on. You’ll need to look into the crime rate, employment rates, and other factors to ensure this lines up with the kind of area you want to live in. Don’t just take a chance or avoid your gut instinct, you can change your property and make adjustments to it, but you can’t change the area. You don’t want to buy your dream home and realize there’s something about the location that you just can’t learn to live with. There’s so much to think about when you’re buying a home, but the area the house is in shouldn’t be overlooked.
A Garden Size You’re Happy With
As with the area, you can make changes to the home, but you can’t change the size of the garden. Don’t just overlook the outside space when you buy a house as it’s something you might later come to regret. If you’ve always dreamed of growing vegetables and flowers or hosting barbecues in the summer- does a small concrete yard really cut it? You also need to think about the future too, if you ever want to extend your home, then this will take space from the garden. The garden really should be a dealbreaker, a very messy and overgrown yard isn’t important it’s the potential you need to look at. Does the space allow you to live the kind of lifestyle you’ve dreamed about?
