Before Buying a Home, Review This Checklist

A checklist is essential to verify everything that's considered important when choosing a new home.
Before Buying a Home, Review This Checklist

Last update: 03 May, 2021

Thinking of buying a house? Before you jump in, we suggest you review this checklist to take into account some of the points. They’ll help you find a property that really meets your expectations and that’s a great investment.

Location, age, orientation are just some of the questions that will help you find the house of your dreams. Review point by point what really matters.

If you’re going to buy a house, take note of these points

Rent or buy a house as a couple.

Buying a home can be stressful. Some people argue that it’s more stressful than a divorce. Many issues come into play, such as investing in future security, a place to put down roots, not to mention financial issues. Therefore, it’s essential to pay attention to the points below.

The age of the home

This is one of the aspects that varies a lot depending on the type of home. While some go up in value over time with no work, others need reforms, which is a matter to consider when negotiating the price.

Investigate if any reform has been done before and keep in mind that, as a general rule, older properties will need some investment.

Before buying a house, check the state of the facilities

The day you go to see the property it may look spectacular. There are a lot of tricks to make it look like the house of your dreams – this is called home staging.

Don’t be misled and instead carry out a good review of the general condition of the house. The floors, the windows, the taps, the kitchen and the water pressure are things that you’ll have to live with.

Size matters

This refers to whether the overall size of the house includes built-in fixtures. Typically, property sale ads will give the largest sizes. This includes built-in wardrobes, partitions, fixtures and the proportionate share of common areas such as stairs, and hallways.

If you do the math, you’ll see that the actual size can be up to 20 square meters less than what is quoted.

The reform, an important part of buying a house

The perfect renovation checklist

Before planning on an open kitchen, ask for the plans and check that the reform can be carried out.

On the other hand, find out if work has been done before and if it’s legal. Sometimes terraces are closed in without asking for the necessary permits, which could lead to a long-term problem.

See which way the house is facing

This is a key factor. On the one hand, it’s about the amount of light that the home receives and whether you’ll save energy and costs.

In addition, the orientation affects the aesthetics of the rooms, so that they’re comfortable and you have enough positive energy through the light. Did you know that the sun is capable of increasing serotonin production?

In cold climates, south orientation is recommended, since you’ll have more hours of direct sunlight. North orientation receives less sun in winter, although it has more homogeneous lighting. Also, note if there is any construction that blocks the light.

Air conditioning

Another factor to assess is the air conditioning system. Check if it’s centralized and if so, ask about the hours it is switched on and off. For both expense and sustainability, it’s worth asking for an energy certificate for the home.

As you can see, there are many points to consider before buying a house. Beyond meeting your needs in terms of rooms, space, and location, it doesn’t hurt to follow this checklist.

This means you’ll get a greater guarantee for your investment if it fits your expectations and you’ll avoid any disappointment in the future. Has this information helped you?