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4 MORE THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUYING THAT HOUSE

By
Real Estate Agent with Central Metro Realty 568764

 

When we're buying a home there are things we look for, how many bedrooms, lot size, community, school district, etc. but there are some things we totally overlook that can really ruin our enthusiasm for our new home.  Here is my list of things you should consider before making or finalizing your offer:

  1. High Speed Internet Provider

    I live in a place with no high speed internet, as do many of my neighbors, I didn't consider the ramifications of this decision until I went through four, yes four different providers for people off the grid, starting with Hughes Net, then Wild Blue, next someone I have since forgotten until finally finding a provider who is reasonably stable and fast. With streaming, gaming and cloud storage your internet provider is a big deal in your daily life. In Austin we have a variety of providers including Time Warner, Comcast and Google Fiber. Before you make your offer check out the internet providers for the address and compare plans that are available to what you currently have just so you know what to expect.
  2. Commute Times to Work and School

    That really lovely 3 mile commute to drop your kids off at school may seem bucolic on a Sunday afternoon, but it may an entirely different story on Monday morning. With the traffic congestion in our city many surface streets become alternative thoroughfares and you wouldn't guess which ones until you see it in action. The same goes for your commute to work, I would recommend trying the drive during a Monday morning or Friday evening commute just to make sure you know what you are in for. I would also recommend testing the drive during the hours you will commute, I once took a job and the commute in at 9:00 AM for the interview was no big deal, but at 7:00 AM it was an absolute nightmare.
  3. Proximity to Conveniences

    Make sure that the services that you will need on a routine basis, i.e. the grocery store, gas stations, pizza places are accessible. Pizza delivery is not an option at my home, could you deal with that? How far is it to the nearest place you can buy the emergency gallon of milk, and how far do you have to go for your weekly shopping trip. Also, take a walk through the grocery store because not all HEB's are created equal. Think about your weekly routine and the things you take for granted and make sure your new home offers the same ammenities because you will miss them if they are not there.
  4. Neighborhood Noise Levels 

    I would recommend visiting your potential home at the time that quiet is the most important to you. For instance, if you go to bed early or have kids you need to settle into bed check out the neighborhood around 9:00 PM. Conversely, if you'll kill someone if you are rudely awakened before 7:00 AM have your spouse or someone else who loves you check out the neighborhood around 5:00 or 6:00 AM preferably on garbage day or a school day. You may also want to check the sky and see if there are any planes or jets nearby, flight patterns change based on the weather so if you can see them there is a chance they'll fly over your home occassionally. Also, you may want to find out if you are in the flight path of the life flight helicopters to a nearby hospital, those guys fly low and fast, understandbly so, but they can scare the bejesus out of you and emergencies happen 24/7.

Buying a home is the most expensive purchase you will ever make and a mistake is not easy to recover from so take a little extra time to explore some of the items on this list that are easily overlooked to ensure that your home is your haven.

Posted by

Tamara Elliott-Deering, Realtor, SRES

Central Metro Realty

512-629-3090, tamara@tamaradeeringrealtor.com

www.betterlifechange.com

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