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Right now, more and more people are renting their homes rather than buying. Now, for some, renting can be great. Only being tied into short contracts can give you the freedom of up and moving as and when is convenient for you. It means that you’re not committed to staying in one spot, allowing you to leave for work, to live nearer to a love interest or to generally explore. However, when you have kids, chances are, you will want something that has a little more stability behind it. You don’t want to get comfortable somewhere, only for the landlord to ask you to move at the end of your contract. Moving with kids can be disruptful and stressful – plus, with all the extra belongings, removal services can cost a lot more. On top of this, you probably want to pay your money into something that becomes your own assets, which you can leave behind to your little ones. You don’t want to pay someone else’s mortgage on their behalf. So, if you’re interested in buying a family home, you’re far from alone. Of course, this is a huge investment. Chances are your home is the most expensive thing you’ll ever buy. So, here are a few tips that can help you to find the right place the first time around!
Know What You’re Looking For
The first step to consider before diving into house hunting, is what you actually want from the property you’re looking for. There are all sorts of options out there and you can do everything from buying a house that already exists to buying some land and using construction professionals to build a custom house on it. Make sure to take some time to mull over exactly what you want and to determine what you are looking for. Some sort of checklist can be really handy. Ask yourself questions like:
- Do you want to live close to work?
- Do you need to live close to good schools?
- Do you need somewhere with good public transport links?
- Is there a supermarket nearby?
- Is the area safe?
This can all help you to find the right location. Then, you need to consider the type of houses you’re looking at. Further questions that can help include:
- How many bedrooms do you need?
- How many bathrooms do you need?
- Do you need a garden?
- Do you need a garage?
- Are there any specific extras you’d like?
View Every Property You’re Interested In
Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for, you can use an estate agent to start viewing some places. Now, viewing a lot of properties can be long winded. But it is important that you view every property you’re interested in. At the end of the day, pictures posted by estate agents can be flattering and misleading. They also don’t highlight potential issues such as road noise, bad neighbours and more. Another thing I thought was very helpful was driving through the neighborhoods of the potential forever homes at random times to see what it would really be like. Do the neighbors stay up all night playing loud music? Dogs barking at all hours? So, have a good look around all options!
These are just a couple of steps towards finding the right house for your family, but they are essential on this journey. So, keep them in the back of your mind at all times!
