Home Buyer Tips ~ #6 - Location, Location, Location!

And now for Home Buyer Tip #6 of the Top 10 Tips To Take the Stress Out of Homebuying:

6. Remember your home doesn't exist in a vacuum. Don't get so caught up in the physical aspects of the house itself - room size, kitchen, etc. - that you forget about important issues as noise level, location to amenities, and other aspects that also have a big impact on your quality of life.

I realize the title has become a cliche when it comes to talking about buying real estate. But one of the most important homebuyer tips is almost the polar opposite of my forest and trees advice in tip #4. This time I want you to take a gigantic step back, and really look at the forest!

Is your dream home located next to an interstate? "Close to the highway" may be convenient for you to get to work in the morning, but do you want to be able to hear everyone else getting to work in the morning...on your day off when you can sleep in??

Is your dream home located near an airport or directly under the flight path? My Dad's house, the house I grew up in, is so close to the airport that I remember jumping up from the couch to adjust the volume on the TV. Over and over and over again...it was just about the only exercise I got as a kid. Ok, so I've just dated myself....yes, that was before remote controls!!

Is your dream home located alongside railroad tracks? Last year I had two buyer clients - one said "I love the sound of trains!" and the other would go to Google Maps before every showing to make sure the house in question was no where near the trains.

Not to mention neighborhood bars, shopping malls and water treatment plants. Everyone has their own comfort level...what they will and will not tolerate. Almost every time I've considered buying a house in the past 22 years, I would park my car nearby at all hours of the day and night...for several days prior to writing my offer. I would sit at 10pm on a Friday, and at 7am on a Sunday. Some people like church bells, I happen to like to sleep in. And what about the 3 barking dogs each on either side of my most recent dream house. Yes, I found out about my many four-legged neighbors after I signed on all the dotted lines. Remember, I said "almost every time". Would I have still bought my house? I really don't know...maybe, maybe not. I do like dogs, but besides reading, sleep is one of my favorite hobbies.   : )

So before you sign on all those dotted lines, look at the whole neighborhood...not just the gorgeous remodeled kitchen and finished basement.

Home Buyer Tip #1

Home Buyer Tip #2

Home Buyer Tip #3

Home Buyer Tip #4

Home Buyer Tip #5

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