Hunting for your new home is great fun. You get to stand in different types of houses and imagine your new life inside the walls. There are so many different styles and features to choose from, no matter what your taste, you’re bound to find the right home out there for you. Armed with your list of must haves, nice to haves, and dream features, you’ll be able to locate several homes that might fit the bill. Here’s what you need to do in order to make the house hunt go smoothly.
Where do you find houses for sale?
There are lots of different places you can look for potential homes. Ask around family and friends to see if someone knows of a great house for sale. You can also see advertisements in front of homes, and though the property pages of your local newspaper. Of course, the internet plays a huge role in show timely interest in a property. You can use sites like RealEstate.co.nz, Trademe.co.nz, and Open2View.co.nz to refine your search and discover new properties.
What am I looking for at the viewing?
When attending a viewing, walk through the house with a critical eye. Look for rooms that aren’t what you want or where the agent might have exaggerated features. If you want to have another walkthrough of a particular house, then arrange a private viewing.
In hot property markets, such as Auckland, you should aim to get to a viewing as soon as possible, before the property is bought from underneath you.
When viewing a home, try as much as possible to ignore the contents and furnishings. Good home staging will make a house appear larger and brighter than it really is. Likewise, clutter and ill-chosen furnishings may hide a lot of potential.
What to check when viewing a house:
- Does the house have a weird smell?
- What are the light sources? Is there any natural light or is it all coming from artificial lights?
- How much storage is there? Do the rooms have wardrobes?
- Is there any warping or sponginess in the floor?
- Will all your furniture fit into the rooms? Are there any awkward shapes?
- Will your car(s) fit in the garage?
- Where would you hang out the washing? Is a laundry included?
- What alterations have been made? Are these legally done?
- Is the home suitable for your kids or pets?
Starting your house hunt can be an exciting adventure. It’s really fun seeing houses and imagining yourself in the space. Make sure that you take the time to get all the information you need to make the right decision.
If you’re ready to start looking for that dream home and want to get the best possible deal on your mortgage, then talk to Mike Whittaker. In your no-obligation free chat, you’ll learn exactly how much you can borrow and the best mortgage type for your needs.
