My thoughts as a potential home buyer as I tour two houses on the market.

House #1

 1.  Neighborhood....hmmmm...nice family area.  Most of the homes SEEM to be well kept.  Very close to amenities, schools, etc.   I'll give it a  9/10. 

2. Curb appeal....nothing especially inviting.  Lawn but no flowers/shrubs or trees.  Front door is white, same colour as house.   Has a nice veranda, which should be a big plus for me..but this one is just ho-hum...no seating/plants/colour.    Toys are strewn all around it and rakes and hoes are leaning against the house.  The driveway is concrete and has a few cracks in it.  

3. Entrance into foyer....lots of ‘stuff’ here.  Coats, shoes, umbrellas, hats....most is stuffed in the front closet haphazardly.  Seems like the closet is not big enough for this family. I  wonder if will it be big enough for my family?  The rooms that can be seen from the foyer look reasonably clean and tidy...but what is that smell??  There's the answer.... I hear a dog barking in the backyard.  Not sure I should even continue this tour.  I love animals but I do not love the inherent smell! 

4.  I'll quickly go through the rest of the house I guess.  Do not like the  blue color in the living and dining rooms....looks gloomy to me.  I would definitely prefer a lighter, airier, neutral colour.  The walls are so covered with family pictures, diplomas, etc. that it is hard to  picture myself living here.  It has a lovely big window, vaulted ceilings and a fireplace, but I can’t ‘see’ the architecture of the room for all the ‘stuff’. 

5. The kitchen is the room that is most important to me.  This kitchen is a nice size but is poorly laid out. The cupboards are in good condition but outdated.  Flooring is linoleum and I would prefer ceramic. I would like at least a small eating area, but the layout of this kitchen does not allow for it. 

6.  All the bedrooms have worn outdated carpet. The closets also seem to be smaller than average. 

7.  There is one full and one half bathroom, both of which are clean and tidy, but rather outdated.

Don't think I'll check the basement or the back yard...there's just too much work to be done in this house to make it what I want.                                                                       

This tour took about 7 minutes total.  I have lots of time to see the other house down the street.  The asking price is higher, but it will be worth it if it meets my criteria and is move-in ready. 

                                                  Next on the list…down the street I go….                  

 House #2                                                

1. Neighborhood…..same neighborhood, nice for families, close to amenities. 

2. Curb appeal…..fantastic.  Lovely front garden with flowers, trees/shrubs.  The veranda is neat and tidy and has a small bistro table and two chairs…very pretty.  Two urns of flowers, one on each side of the front entrance and colorful pots of flowers hanging from the veranda.  The front door looks very classy with  glossy black paint and brass hardware and kickplate.  The driveway is paved with no obvious cracks or stains. 

3.  Entrance to the foyer…..very similar size and layout to the previous house.  The closet seems very roomy and plenty for our family.  There is a subtle lovely fragrance in the air…ohh, there is a bowl of lemons on the console table. 

4. Living and dining rooms are painted in a neutral color which is great.  My furniture would look great in here.  It doesn’t have a fireplace or a vaulted ceiling like the other house, but the large picture window and the view outside are stunning!  The art on the walls is very tasteful. 

5. The kitchen is smaller than the other house but laid out much more efficiently.  There is even  built-in bar seating for 4 people. Looks like it has had some updates…new sink & faucet, new countertop and lighting fixtures. Also, the floor is ceramic, which I love. 

6. The bedrooms are clean, tidy and painted in soft neutrals.  They feel very roomy and airy.  The carpet has been replaced with a good quality laminate. The closets are very well organized and would suit my family perfectly. 

7. This house also has one full bathroom and one half bathroom.  They are small but have been updated with new fixtures, faucets and cabinets. 

8.  The basement has been partially developed with a laundry room, and a rec room.  There is also possibility of further development. 

9.  The back entrance very neat and tidy and the garden is well kept and fenced on all sides.

This house is $10,000 more than the first one, but I can really see my family living in this house.  There is nothing at all that needs to be done before we could move in.                                                       

This tour took about 30 minutes and I will definitely come back with my family for a second look.