When you are buying a property, many different things come into play. There is the location of the property, the size of the lot and house, whether there is an HOA or condo fee to pay; all these factors go into determining how much your monthly mortgage payment will be. It can be difficult to figure out which properties are worth your while because there's so much information to take in! We've put together this list of 7 important things to consider when buying a property for future reference.
Location
Location is the first thing you should consider. It depends on what your work commute looks like, how far away from shopping and restaurants or entertainment areas that are important to you, etc., but location can have a big impact on resale value too. If you’re interested in living around the Miami area, you can check out a pre-construction condo in Miami. Properties close to high-traffic roads will be more desirable than those further out in the boonies or in a neighborhood that's known for high levels of crime.
Look at the surrounding homes; if they're well-maintained and all have fresh paint, manicured lawns, and neat driveways it might be an indicator of where you should buy. On the other hand, houses with overgrown grass, crumbling walkways, and graffiti on garage doors aren't as desirable because not as many people will want to live there…everyone wants to live somewhere nice!
Size of the Lot
The size of your lot can impact resale value too. A small house on a large property has more appeal to buyers than one that's crammed in between two other homes, so smaller lots are typically worthless money. If you have fantasies of growing fruits and vegetables or keeping chickens someday though, check with local zoning ordinances before making an offer! Some cities don't allow farming within city limits because it might decrease their tax revenue…and others only let homeowners keep up to four hens for egg production per household, but no roosters are allowed at all! You'll need to know how many plants or animals you're allowed if that's important to you, otherwise stick with bigger where there is plenty of room for outbuildings, a garden, or a fire pit.
If you have no interest in growing your own food but love the idea of privacy, look for smaller lots that are on cul-de-sacs versus those at the end of long roads where there is more traffic and noise, and maybe even minimal security since it's easier to break into homes along major streets than ones tucked away from civilization!
Accessibility to Public Transit
For some people, having a car is an absolute necessity. They can't imagine living without one and wouldn't even think of looking at properties that are more than walking distance from the nearest bus stop! Others rely on public transit for their daily commute; they don't mind taking two buses or riding their bike ten minutes longer because it means not having to deal with traffic jams every day. It's important to know how accessible transportation will be before making an offer on the property…if you'll need several modes of transport just to get into town then maybe it's not worth your time unless there aren't any other choices available in your price range. You might also want to check out taxi services if everything else fails since sometimes residents who don't have cars hire cabs to take them where they need to go.
HOA/Condo Fees
Some people love the idea of living in an HOA community because they don't have to pay for anything they might not even use or care about. Streets are always being repaired, basketball courts and gardens look awesome year-round, a clubhouse provides plenty of space for entertaining friends, and all those things come at a price! If you're going to live somewhere that requires membership dues then make sure you take into account how much it's going to cost every month before making an offer on a property, otherwise, be prepared to deal with constant requests from other neighbors who want money out of your pocket too!
On the other hand, if having no common area expenses sounds amazing but high fees mean your house payments will rival the national debt, you might want to look into condos instead. They are usually more affordable than houses in one of these communities and if the homeowners' association is good at what they do then your costs will be minimal too!
Schools
It's a good idea to know where the best schools are in your area before buying a house. Your kid already has enough going on without needing extra help from an expensive tutor or having to repeat kindergarten because his teacher thought he wasn't "college material". Make sure you check out test scores and speak with parents who live in different neighborhoods if there is more than one school district available; you might be surprised by what you learn when asking someone whose child doesn't share your last name about how their kids enjoy learning versus those who go to class every day dreading show and tell time! Although don't necessarily write off homes that aren't zoned for popular public schools.
Home Safety
Here are some questions you should ask yourself about safety before moving in: Do I have neighbors who can keep an eye on my property when I'm not at home to protect it from kids running through the yard or opportunistic thieves trying to break into my house? Have there been any recent thefts that have occurred in the neighborhood?
Before moving into a new neighborhood, it's essential to consider the area's safety. It can help protect your home from kids running through the yard or opportunistic thieves trying to break in. Knowing your neighbors and building a relationship with them can help create a safer environment for everyone in the community. Overall, asking these safety-related questions can help ensure a secure and peaceful living environment. The policies from Garrity can also help provide guidelines and resources for maintaining safety in the neighborhood.
If it's a quiet, friendly community then you probably don't have anything to worry about unless there are dark alleyways or unevenly lit streets that would make it easy for criminals to get away. If homes in your neighborhood are getting broken into on an average basis, however, maybe moving isn't the best idea if you plan on living there for a while. If you're concerned about falling victim to criminal activity then get in touch with the local police and request recent reports about robberies or home invasions that have taken place in your area lately.
The Nearest Grocery Store
Have you ever tried cooking a meal without groceries before? Although lives won't be in danger if someone's stovetop suddenly becomes their oven, not having access to all the ingredients necessary for whipping up something gourmet can make feeding yourself an arduous task. Of course, there are always takeout restaurants and vending machines but those options seem a bit silly when you're too lazy to get up and go buy something for yourself.
Make sure the property has easy access to a supermarket or at least an affordable convenience store. It's better than having to drive several miles out of your way every time you run out of something!
There's no single right answer when it comes to choosing a property but hopefully, this list has helped give you some ideas on how to get started with your home search, even narrow down which ones aren't worth considering based on things that really matter to you personally. It all boils down to knowing exactly what matters most before making an offer because it can make or break negotiations later on!
WRITTEN BY
Daria Brown