It’s easy to get excited over a home that offers a spacious living room, peaceful bedrooms, hardwood flooring and a trendy kitchen. It’s also all too easy to miss seeing important things that aren’t so obvious — even if they are just as important to your family’s future happiness in the home. Let’s discuss 4 things people should consider but often overlook when they buy a home.
1. The Need for Safe Parking
Off-street parking is important for several reasons. In urban areas, it’s a matter of convenience, personal safety and cost savings. Without a garage or parking space, there may be times you’ll have to park far from your home. You’ll waste time circling the block looking for parking. You might have to stay alert for muggers if you need to park far away and walk home, especially late at night. Parking on the street can cost you money in the form of unplanned parking tickets, higher car insurance bills, possible vandalism and possible hit-and-run accidents while you’re away from your car. In some suburban and rural areas, it may not be easy or even possible to park on a street outside your home.
Wherever you plan to live, a garage is an important consideration. An attached garage with an entrance into the home is ideal. This maximizes personal safety and minimizes car insurance bills.
2. A Possibility That the Property Might Be Contaminated
Maria Rodale, author of Maria Rodale’s Organic Gardening and the granddaughter of the founder of Rodale’s Organic Gardening magazine, was shocked to discover the soil on her property had high levels of toxic lead contamination. Research led her to the discovery that the home next to hers had been a gas station in the 1950s. Unfortunately, her family had been eating contaminated produce from her vegetable garden.
Before you finalize the purchase of a new home, it’s beneficial to do a contaminated land search. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains updated information about Superfund sites and contaminated land that you’ll want to check against.
You might also want to see if your intended county of residence has implemented an integrated mosquito management program; if so, it’s likely they’ll be fumigating your area during mosquito season. If you have chemical sensitivities, you’ll want to check on the pesticides they’re using. This is also a smart move if or want to garden organically on your property or if you own pets. Some of the pesticides used are particularly toxic to cats.
3. The Surrounding Community
Every community is different, and each has its own unique characteristics. In each case, there are tradeoffs. A remote mountain-top community is ideal for the peace and quiet it offers, but perhaps there aren’t many local amenities or job opportunities. A thriving urban city offers ample job opportunities, but the tradeoff may be a high rate of crime. It’s beneficial to research the community you’re thinking of moving to before you finalize your plans to buy a home there.
4. Local Weather Patterns
Weather surprises are directly or indirectly responsible for surprising numbers of home listings. People who move to the Pacific northwest from other areas don’t always remain there. Most move there knowing that it rains often but not realizing that frequent rains could adversely affect them to any significant degree. People who move to the southeast coast don’t always remain there. Some new arrivals are unprepared for the humid summers and hurricane dangers.
Before you invest in a home in a new location, it’s beneficial to spend at least a week in that area during the least ideal time of year for that spot. If you’re considering a move to the Great Lakes area, spend a week there in January to see if you can handle the cold and the snow. If you’re considering a move to Arizona, plan a visit in July to make sure the heat is tolerable for you. This small investment could save you significant sums of wasted time and money. If the area won’t suit you or a family member, it’s ideal to discover that before you make the substantial investment in relocation.
If you’re ready to buy a home, an experienced agent can help you calculate how much house you can afford, then find a home you’ll love within your budget. Find an agent to work with here.
