If you’re breaking into the market for an incredible home, it’s okay to be excited! There’s a lot of tremendous change that comes with buying your place, but you shouldn’t let that blind you to the important things. When you’re looking at homes, carefully consider each of these details.
Any significant future changes
Where do you see yourself in five years? How about ten? Although these may feel like the questions someone would ask you in a job interview, you have to answer these for yourself when house hunting. Is this first home meant to be your forever home, or are you planning to look at other homes for sale in Toronto in five to ten years? Do you think you’ll have another person living with you? Do you see kids in your future? Consider all of these, and shop accordingly.
How much of a project you can realistically attempt
We all see ourselves as a little more driven than we are. That’s okay and forgivable, yet it’s important to admit that sometimes we don’t measure up. For example, if you’re looking at a home that needs a ton of projects, how many of those projects do you think you’ll complete within a month? How about a year? Although you don’t have to move into a cookie-cutter home, and you can put your personality into place, it’s a good idea to be realistic about what work you can take on.
How far you are from work and family
Most people go to work several times a week, and many more also visit family and friends often. You don’t have to live in the dead center of these locations, but planning around an easy transit time can help your life later on. When you look at a home, think about what your daily transit to work would look like and how often you’d be able to see the ones you love. Is it short enough of a drive that you’re okay with it, or is it more stressful?
Whether the schools are ideal
If you have kids or are considering going back to college, are the local schools the ones you feel good about? Your school area will make an impact on the education of whoever lives in your home, so it’s a good thing to consider if you think it matters.
If the neighborhood is safe and friendly
Talk to neighbors, and become familiar with the neighborhood when you look at homes! If you’re narrowing it down between one or two houses, don’t be afraid to walk through the community for a workout and talk to those you encounter. Be friendly and courteous and see if you align well with this neighborhood. Do those who live there feel nice to you? Check the crime rate in your area, and be sure to look up if it’s a safe place to live or if you’ll be dealing with dangers and hazards that you would be better off avoiding.
When shopping for a new home, it is vital to look into what you’ll need a few years from now. These things are your non-negotiables. However, please keep an open mind about the entire homebuying process because there will be compromises along the way for sure. Most importantly, enjoy the nitty-gritty part of the process. You’ll appreciate all the efforts, even the most mundane tasks of creating lists of non-negotiables and can-live-withouts, once you find your dream home.
And with that, happy shopping!
Jenv T Corre's Wall 