Make Your House Choice

Now get out there and start looking. But put the same care into the search as you did preparing for it. Take a few simple tools with you. Carry a pencil and paper to jot down questions and the answers to them. A house-hunter's checklist is also a good idea. With a checklist, you can easily make a quick and permanent record of each house you visit. Also, a tape measure will settle the questions of whether your china cabinet will fit or not. A small camera with a flash is another handy item (a video camera is even better). Pictures are worth a thousand words about colours, layout, landscaping and other details, but ask the owner's permission before shooting. Don't take your kids with you unless there is no alternative. Keeping an eye on little ones can be distracting. After two or three visits, the "adventure" of house hunting will wear off for even the most patient child. If you really must take your children along, carry games, colouring books and reading material to keep them occupied. Don't even think about taking your dog. Visit during daylight hours if possible. Things look different by artificial light, both inside and outside. If you tour a home you like by night, make an appointment for a return trip during the day to confirm your original impression. Try to look past the surface when evaluating a home. Don't reject one because it is poorly decorated or in a style you dislike: it may otherwise match your needs perfectly. On the other hand, don't be swayed by flashy decorating; show homes often look particularly good because they are professionally decorated and expensively furnished. Things will look much different with your own possessions in place. Look at the home itself, not what is in it. Evaluate all homes on a room-by-room basis. Every room is different, but apply the same criteria to each. Look into small details such as the inside of closets, the number of electrical outlets, the amount of sunlight and the view. Ask questions as you think of them or you might forget to ask later. Don't hesitate to ask the real estate salesperson if similar homes in the neighbourhood have experienced any foundation or structural problems. Depending on a home's age and the area it is in, you may want to have an engineer check the foundation or do a structural report. This is a sensible precaution to take if the home shows obvious problems such as leaning badly or displaying large cracks in the basement. Many people avoid looking for a home during the winter, but there are advantages to shopping in the cold. Outside, it is easier to concentrate on the house itself without the distraction of shrubs, flower beds and other frills - ask the owners for a picture of the home in summer if you are interested. Insulation problems are more obvious in the winter, too. You can check how well the home is insulated by looking for draughty windows, cold walls and abnormal melting on the roof. Other things you seldom think of in summer also come to mind. Is there enough closet space for winter coats, boots, scarves and mitts? Is there a long driveway to shovel or plow and is there somewhere to put the snow? If you would still rather wait until spring, keep in mind there are fewer buyers in winter - which means less competition for homes you are interested in. If you are impressed by a home, make sure you are impressed by the neighbourhood. You might be eager to live in a specific area, but check details. Look closely at the homes on either side to see how they are maintained. Walk up and down the street. Say hello to neighbours who might be outside and ask them a few questions about the area. Check for unusual features like high voltage power lines, bright street lights or noisy playgrounds. Come back during rush hour, too, to see if traffic and noise are a problem. Ask the real estate salesperson or contact local government to find out about zoning and if large-scale development is planned nearby - you don't want any surprises after moving in. Finally, think of the resale value of your prospective purchase. A home with unusual features or a radical design may appeal to you, but will anyone else want to buy it? Quality materials and construction are good for resale value, but an expensive house in a poor location is usually a bad investment. The average Canadian homeowner moves every four to six years, so you will want a property that will sell quickly and easily when the time comes to shop for your next home.