The neighborhood you choose for your new investment is almost as important as the home itself. It is best to get a notebook to keep future notes in on houses you like. On the first page in the notebook you will want to write down the things you need in a house and the things you want in a house. Generally buyers only get about 80% of what they want in a house so there will be things with which you will need to be willing to compromise. Now is the time to decide what you will compromise on and what you need.
If you are having trouble here are a few ideas to help you along. What type of neighborhood do you want? Subdivision, rural, or downtown area? How far you have to travel to work may play an important role in where you choose to live. How many miles are you willing to travel from your home? If you have children, would you rather they be in a certain school zones?
Those were some of the bigger questions, now that you have those out of the way its time to get down to details. How many bedrooms and bathrooms? Do you want a formal dining room? How many square feet would be large enough? Do you want a fireplace? A large kitchen or porch? Maybe a home office?
Where it may seem like a lot, writing it all down will help to keep things in perspective. If you are a first time homebuyer, the buying process can be just as stressful as it can be fun. Having your wants and needs on paper will help, not only to keep your head on straight, to keep things in perspective.
The last important thing you need to keep in mind is resell value. You may be intending to stay in this house for the rest of your life. However, life has a way of throwing curve balls. If ever you need to sell, you will want your house to sell for the best possible price.
If you are interested in looking at homes in the SWLA area give me a call and I will help you through the process!
Rebecca Melancon
For information in SWLA area click my picture!
