Buyers Beware - Items Buyers should research before the termination option period is up

I always encourage my buyers to try and spend as much time as possible at the home they have under contract. I think the average amount of time that a buyer spends in a home before they purchase is 30 minutes. In my opinion, a buyer should try to spend more physical time in the home before they buy what is for most families their largest investment!

Here are some smart ways to increase that amount of time before you buy:

• Attend the home inspection - I strongly suggest you attend the home inspection if at all possible. Yes, the time commitment could be more than 3 hours, but the information you will learn about the home will be invaluable if you decide to purchase the home. And I don't know what you think, but I think anyone works harder when they are being watched by a boss (no matter what job type)!  Ensure the $300-$500 payment for your inspection is well deserved!
  
• Drive by and ask to see the home at different times of the day. Here are some suggestions to fully research a home during your termination option period:
  

1. Set up an early morning time and practice your drive to work from your new home (Also practice the drive home at the end of the day). Be sure to notice the amount of traffic and time it takes you to get to and from work. (If you work from home, bring your lap top and work a few hours in the home if at all possible. Sit near the window where you plan to put your desk).
   
2. Drive by and study how the sun hits your the home at different times of the day.
3. Drive by the home at night and notice how many street lights are on and roll down windows to gauge neighborhood noise. Are there any street lights shining in the windows of the home?
   
4. If train tracks are near by, it is imperative you try to be at the home when this happens. Listen to the train inside the house and from the backyard as well.
   
5. If you are buying the home in the summer or spring, visualize what the backyard and front yard will look like without the leaves on the trees.
   
6. Time your drive to the nearest grocery store and actually shop there at least once before your option period is complete.
   
7. Time your drive to the nearest post office.
   
8. Many homes in Austin and the surrounding areas are located near major highways. Make sure you are comfortable with the road noise. And realize that if you are buying during the spring or summer, that this noise is louder during the fall and winter times (because the leaves on the trees help provide a noise buffer).
   
9. Time the drive to the schools (and check out the traffic in the area around the elementary, middle school and high school arrival/departure times).
   
10. Go and meet your potential new neighbors. Ask them about the neighborhood and if they know anything about the home you are buying. 
11. Spend a day running errands from the new location. Do you like the immediate neighborhood retail the city has to offer?  You should love the location/neighborhood/city first and then the home second. You've heard it before,"Location, Location, Location." That is the most important aspect of real estate value and always will be.
    

If you are able to complete this list of due diligence (I know it looks long, but it's some of the most important things you will do when you buy a home), then you will be well on your way to making a confident and solid investment decision when you buy a home. 

Happy House Hunting! And please call me to help you with your home buying needs!