Considerations for the Purchase of Your Next Home
Utah Buyers Information
When I work with buyers here in the St George Utah area, often they are on a mission. The mission, to fulfill their wants and needs list. Once they have found a home, they tend to overlook or disregard important factors that could impact their ultimate decision, or contribute to buyers’ remorse. With the current swelled inventory, buyers have a choice. What will you consider when purchasing your next home? Of course you have your list of ‘must haves’ such as size, bedrooms, or other personally important features. But once you have found the home(s) meeting your criteria, now what?
Here are a few tips of other factors to consider before signing the paperwork.
- Will your furniture fit in most rooms? (Or can you afford to replace what will not fit?)
- What surrounds the property? Are there existing, or will there be future, developments that will impact the property value? Be sure to drive an alternative route to the home, you may have arrived to the property on a “desirable” path, be aware of what could be on the next block or around the corner.
- Have an inspection performed by a reputable inspector. New construction should NOT be excluded from an inspection. Be sure your earnest money is protected until AFTER the inspection (your agent should advise you of options available to protect your money).
- Is the home within a desirable School system, or a close proximity?
- What are the comparable home sales for the neighborhood? Although you may have found what YOU think is a good deal, what have other homes recently sold for in the area?
- Take a trip to the nearby market. Many times you will drive a neighborhood, attempting to see who lives around the property of interest. Visiting a local store will offer perspective of the area.
- Talk to a neighbor; find out how they like the neighborhood. A resident will likely have superior knowledge as to potential development or existing problems within the area (I always keep an eye out for the neighbors, so that I can ask some questions that my buyers can gain knowledge). Often, the agent will only have limited knowledge, it is up to the buyer to exercise their ‘due diligence’ and gather all information that will factor into their decision.
THINK RESALE…
Even if this is your dream home…statistics prove that most homeowners will only occupy their home for 5-7 years. Many will relocate sooner. Always try to consider the majority of buyers; what other buyers would like or dislike about a property. Although you are comfortable with particular aspects of the property that could be difficult or impossible to change, if that aspect would not be a popular choice among other buyers you may create resale problems for yourself. As an agent, I make every attempt to assist the buyer in realizing other important features about the property. I will not sell a home that I feel I could not list in the future (should my client decide to move).
Real estate is an investment, and done properly it can offer a nice return. If important factors are overlooked, it can become another home on the inventory that is impossible to sell, resulting in homeowner hardship.
Date: 2008-03-27 12:27:21
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