The most important investment you will ever make is probably the purchase of a home. Finding the right home for you can be a long and arduous process, but there is no getting around that.
Know Your Wants And Needs
Before embarking on your journey of house hunting, you must know what you really want to find. Sit down with pen and paper and list all the features you care most about, such as:
– Location (in a particular city, school district or neighborhood)
– Size — how many bedrooms and bathrooms
– Parking — a 1-car garage or 2?
– Style — 2-story house or ranch style home?
– Heating — central heating and/or air conditioning?
Equally important, on a new sheet of paper list all the features you absolutely do not want in a house. For example:
– high-traffic area.
– high noise area (airport, train station or highway in close proximity)
– maintenance — major repairs needed
As you look at houses, keep both lists in mind. Your lists may change over time as you do more looking. You’ll want to add or remove features, or...