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It can be overwhelming when you start looking at homes once you've decided that you're in the market to buy. There are so many options out there that it can be hard to really know what you want or what would best work for you if you just start viewing homes.
The very first thing that you need to find out is how much you can afford. Talk to your bank and see how much you can get in a pre-approved mortgage. This will give you a ballpark figure to work with. This also gives your agent an idea of what range of homes to show you.
Next, decide who this house is going to be for. Unless you really love moving, you'll probably want to take into account who you anticipate living with you in the next five or more years. You might want to consider if you're likely to have kids in the next few years or if you have an elderly parent or grandparent who you might want to come and live with you.
While the addition of kids into your house may well make you want to have at least one additional bedroom, having an elderly relative living in your home may make you rethink the whole style of a prospective home. Elderly people may need a bedroom and bathroom facilities on the main floor of the home, as well as ground floor entry.
If have children, or plan to, it is likely in your best interests to take a look at schools in the general areas that you're looking at being possible destinations to move to. Also take a look at the proximity of parks and playgrounds, activity centres, and public transportation. Another handy thing to have close by your home is a grocery store, even just a small one where you can buy milk.
Something that people sometimes forget in regards to location is what do you NOT want your home close to. If are not a parent, you may not want you home located right across the street from the local high school. You likely don't want your home near industry or farms if you're concerned about smells. Industry is also often noisy, as are airports or airport corridors. Take all these factors into account when looking at areas to buy in. If you're concerned that a seemingly perfect area might become less than perfect in the future, check out city hall to see if there's anything in the works for that neighbourhood.
Consider your hobby needs when thinking about what kind of house will suit you best. Are you an avid woodworker or mechanic who needs a full shop facility or are you a budding artist who requires space for a painting studio? If you like to camp or boat then you might require adequate parking for your RV or boat. If having a yearly vegetable garden is important to you, then make sure your agent knows that you need the space for that.
Next, consider what kind of condition you need the house to be in. Are you an avid to-it-yourselfer? If so, then you might be more inclined to buy a house that has all the features that you want even if it needs some work. However, if you're not particularly handy or can't afford to dish out a bunch of money for repairs or renovations, then you might want to buy something in better shape.
Lastly, consider what style of house you want to buy. Some buyers are very flexible on this point, where some others are very sticky on what style of home they want to live in. Some buyers already have a whole houseful of Victorian furniture and so want their house to match; others just want a house that meets all their other criteria.
Take time to think about all of these aspects of a home and then prioritize them. Be upfront with your realtor about what the most important qualities of a house are important to you so that they can keep an eye out for the houses that'll suit you best.
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