Even Santa makes a list!
Sometimes making a list helps especially if you’re thinking about buying a home. A list may be just the thing to help your house hunting experience be a merrier one.
It’s especially important for couples to find common ground on what makes the “nice” list for the home of your dreams. Of course, affordability is a factor, and there are many other things to think about when making one of the most exciting purchases in life.
So, what could be on that list? Here’s some tips from My Favorite Realty in Palmer, Alaska
- What are the things that make a home a great place to live? Is it the location, size, functionality?
- What qualities are important to you? A safe, friendly neighborhood? Peace and quiet? An attractive view? Sense of privacy?
- Size. How many bedrooms and bathrooms?
- What can you afford? Talk to a lender (we know some great and flexible institutions)
- Which way do the windows face, how many, how big, privacy?
- Do you want to be part of a Homeowners Association?
- Is this an investment, first time home or your retirement property?
- Most importantly, what things are missing from your current place that you’d like to have at your new one? OR, conversely, what things do you hope to match up again?
Distance to work might be on the list. If you found a house with all the bells and whistles, but you’d have to commute 2 hours back and forth each day, you’ll have to decide beforehand if you can live with that. Same goes for schools and shopping. Some people love being a bit off the beaten path, while others enjoy the convenience.
And don’t forget to research the weather! If you’re planning on a big vegetable garden in the back yard, then a sunny southern exposure might be on your list. Do you care about wind? In Palmer, this is a real question. Also in this modern age, you might want to inquire about cell phone reception and Internet service which vary widely location to location.
If you’re thinking of moving to a new town, we recommend spending some time there to get a sense of what it is like. Spend the afternoon driving around and explore a few side streets. And don’t be afraid of asking the locals, either. When eating at a restaurant or stopping for coffee, ask your server about the area. Of course, there’s no end to the information you’ll find on-line if you Google the right search words. The Chamber of Commerce, visitor center or the local Government web page contain lots of information relevant to home owners.
Finally, you can also place a call to local realtors who specialize in the area. At My Favorite Realty, we are always happy to answer any questions you might have about life in the Mat-Su Valley. After all, we live here, too!
