When You’re Thinking About Home Buying…
When you’ve finally made a home buying decision, take the time to really consider your lifestyle! Make a list of the things you really need vs. the things you want in a home. Then call a Realtor and get your search under way!
Here are a few style considerations to get you started!
Inside:
- Ceilings: A cathedral ceiling makes a beautiful architectural statement and can make a room feel very open and large. However, windows near the top of a cathedral ceiling can be very difficult to clean. You may also want a ceiling fan to keep heat from rising to the top of the room and heating bills right along with it. If you love the feel and visual effect of it, you can always hire a cleaning crew to do the windows – if you don’t like heights – and put on sweater when it’s cold.
- Lighting: How much natural light do you like a home to have? Said another way, how many windows do you like a house to have and where should they be placed for maximum or minimum effect? As you tour a home, keep the windows and their exposures in mind.
- How many rooms: What’s your roominess profile? Beyond overall square footage, how large or small do you like certain rooms to feel. Bedrooms – cozy or spacious? Kitchen – wide open to a great room or smaller for efficiency and keeping cooking clutter behind the scenes? Living and family rooms? Bathrooms – how many and how large? Den/Office?
- Level off: 2 storie? Ranch design? Walk out lower level? Sometimes it makes more sense to keep things on one level. Other times, you want the separation a second floor can provide.
- HVAC: The warmth of your home. Heating-Ventilation-Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems are mission critical! Look for the most energy efficient models and you’ll save money over the life of the system.
- Sound Proofing: What are acceptable levels of sound moving through the walls and floors of your home, both inside and from the outside in? Sound proofing dampens noise to create a more quiet atmosphere.
Outside:
- Does the new home of your dreams sit on a hill? What are the considerations for your particular lifestyle of “hillside living?”
- Does this new home have a driveway or is it street parking? How long is the driveway? Will it present any seasonal challenges?
- Do you want a garage? How large? How many vehicles will you want to house?
- How close to your neighbors do you want to live? Does your potential new yard provide you with enough elbow room?
- Finally, do you feel comfortable in the neighborhood? Does it feel like home?