Home buyers are used to being asking what town they want to move to, how big a house (square footage) they want, number of bedrooms, bathrooms and more. There are many changes homeowners can make to their house over the years. But some things are beyond your control once you've bought your house. That's why it's so important to get these things right when buying a forever home.
For first time home buyers, recognizing these hidden gems can be challenging. That's why we wanted to share this infographic with you. ActiveRain.com, surveyed 1,500 realtors who are members of their online community. They work with home buyers and sellers every day, so they know first hand what's important.
What Your Forever Home Must Have When You Buy
You've probably heard the phrase about buying a house – location, location and location. For years I've assumed location equaled great schools, so I was surprised to see amazing views and the quality of your neighborhood slightly higher on this survey.
The other items are a nice surprise as it shows people are spending more time at home. They understand that living in their forever home, means these features will enable them to enjoy their home more. We're also seeing this in home improvements that create outdoor living spaces. If you want to learn more, here's an article on the Top 10 Features for Outdoor Living Spaces.
- Amazing views 69%
- Neighborhood quality 69%
- Great schools 66%
- Backs up to green space 50%
- Large yard 30%
- Corner lot 12%
Home Improvements For Your Forever Home
Many home buyers want to buy a house that is move in ready and yet compromise is always part of the decision process. That's where you need to separate your list of must haves — things you can change after you move in … and things you can't change.
After the home inspection for my 100 year old Victorian, we learned the house needed a new roof and new wiring. The house still had old knob & tube wiring common when the house was built, which isn't something you want in your forever house. While it would have been easier to have the sellers make these improvements, we ended up accepting their counter-offer to split the cost.
- New roof 66%
- Outside living space 48%
- Granite counter tops 39%
- Extra storage space 37%
- Nicely finished closets 20%
- Mud room 14%
What's fascinating about the items on this list is they focus on how your home looks, with the exception of the new roof which might not be optional. While new homeowners make more home improvements during the first year, it also makes sense to live in a house for 3 to 6 months and learn what's working and what's not. That way you'll be able to prioritize where to invest your home improvement dollars as you create your forever home.
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