Buying Your Dream Home

So you’ve decided to buy a house, congratulations. This is of course part of the American dream. (Keep in mind the key word “dream”.) After having looked over the newspaper and TV listings of homes for sale, it has probably become apparent that buying a home is going to be the largest purchase you’ll ever make. Don’t screw up! Dream all you want to but don’t forget that mistakes can make your dream into a nightmare.
Don’t fool yourself into buying a home you can’t afford. Don’t let the real estate sales person sell you a home you can’t afford. Most realtors are going to work with you. But select wisely. Ask your friends and associates who they might recommend. Don’t select one because they have the biggest add in the phone book. They could be the best but check around.
As equally important as the house itself, is where it’s located. The same house, with the same features, the same overall size, same number of bedrooms etc. can be worth thousands of dollars more in a good neighborhood. I don’t care if it’s beautiful and just what you like, if it’s in a lousy part of town, no matter how low the price, your buying into a bad investment. This is not to say that in thirty years or so the area may come back, but can you wait and are you willing to live in an crummy area that long.
What kind of a house are you looking for, two bedrooms, three, and four. How many baths, what about a basement? Do you want a big yard, fenced in with a few trees or a small yard with no lawn to cut and no leaves to rake? What about a town house or a condo? I only bring these choices up because before you waste your time, and the real estate agents as well, give it some thought. You may have a pretty good idea what you want, but can you afford that dream house. Don’t waste time looking at houses you can’t afford. Buying a home can be and should be a lot of fun, don’t spoil it by being unrealistic.
One mistake often made is thinking you can fix up the house your planning to buy for very little. If it’s only painting a room or two, and you’ve done that before, this is possible. Now when it comes to remodeling a kitchen or baths your talking a whole different ball game. Kitchen cabinets and a new countertop may cost as little as three or four hundred dollars but if your looking for something top of the line. it could run several thousand. Here again be realistic. The bath or even just a half bath can cost a lot of money to remodel. Keep in mind that it’s not just the fixtures the tub; shower, stool and vanity with sink that costs money. It’s the plumbing. I’m talking running the hot and cold water lines and the all important drain lines as well. This is not work that most home handy men can do. When you start plumbing a kitchen or bath, you better know what your doing, My advice if you haven’t done it be careful, it may be less expensive to call a plumber before you tackle the job than after. Replacing some bath fixtures can cost only a few hundred dollars but a major remodeling job can run several thousand.
Another pitfall people often fall into is by thinking “This room is a little small, but we could just take out that one wall and that would really make it a nice size room” Anything is possible, but what would it cost? Sometimes removing a wall can be done quite easily, without costing a lot, and other times it can be a major construction problem. It may involve moving plumbing lines and electrical wiring and putting in a support beam in the ceiling. Now were talking some real money.
Are you scared? Well you should be. I have only mentioned a few of the many things that can turn the search for your “dream home” into a nightmare. There are other things you need to check. How good is the foundation? Does the roof leak? What about the furnace? How old are the windows? Are they energy efficient? How much insulation is in the walls and attic? Many times those looking at a house are more concerned with the color of the walls and how new is the carpet? These things if they don’t suit you, can be easily fixed and not to terribly expensive to remedy. Installing a new roof or replacing the air-conditioning and heating systems will require a big outlay of dollars.
Many of today’s homes feature an outside deck, which can add a lot of enjoyment to a home when weather permits. A deck will last several years if properly treated for the weather, be sure to check it out. Not just from the top. But underneath as well.
There are many things that can provide value to the home your looking at and one you may take for granted is the landscaping. If you’ve ever tried to put in or keep a lawn looking nice you know what I mean. A good lawn represents a lot of work, care and money,
If I haven’t caused you to change you mind about buying that “Dream House” by now, then your ready. Keep in mind. When in doubt, ask someone you know and trust who has some knowledge and experience as a homeowner. The best and safest way to proceed is to pay for a home inspection. It will be money well spent. Now it’s time to hold your partners hand, stand up straight, don’t be scared. And what the hell, go for it!