Knowing how to buy a new home can be difficult, especially for first time home buyers. However, it’s also easy for repeat home buyers to get too caught up in their wishlists and miss what they really need to be looking for. Many home buyers are so focused on finding the right home that they could miss the signs of which house is really right for them. In other words, if they’re thinking too much about location, then they could miss their dream home one town over. Or if they’re obsessing over fixable items, like the flooring in a house, then they might ignore something that can’t be easily fixed, such as the square footage of the home.
Want to know what to look for in a new home? These three essentials should be on the list for every home buyer:
Curb Appeal
What is curb appeal? This term applies to the way the house looks from the road (or curb) and can be a good indication of the quality of the house. For instance, is the outside well-maintained? Does the neighborhood look well manicured and clean? Does the house itself need any repairs? (For new homes, the answer to the latter question should definitely be a “no”!) In addition to looking at the outside of the home, the inside is just important. Buyers who want modern home design, for instance, should pay close attention to the floor plan and the amount of usable space inside a house.
Excellent Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency seems to be what to look for in a new home for most buyers. But what does that include? Some of the first things that many buyers look for are new appliances, which are typically Energy Star rated. This is something that a whopping 94% of home buyers look for, according to one survey. New windows and doors also add energy efficiency in addition to curb appeal. Some houses today don’t just include updated appliances but also come with green certification labels, which can increase the sale value of a home by an average of 9%. If resale could be an issue for buyers later on, this may be something to look into when they buy a new home.
Ideal Schools and Amenities
When searching for a new home, about 91% of 1,000 buyers surveyed on Realtor.com reported that school boundaries were important in their search. In a separate survey, 45% of buyers said that they wanted to live within the boundaries of a specific school or school district. In addition to schools, having plenty of amenities close by for shopping and recreation is also important. Some master planned communities have shopping and green space available for residents, so they don’t have to go far to have a good time.
Do you know what to look for in a new home? Are you working with a home builder? Tell us what you think is essential in a new house in the comments section.
