Friday Funnies: You know it’s the wrong house when….

When you’re looking for a new home, there are probably lots of things on your “Want” list. But what about your “No way in heck!” list?  Sure, there are small things that make a house the wrong one…but here are some great big signs that you might want to run, not walk, to a different house for sale!

So, with no further ado, You know it’s the wrong house when….

1. The “Days on the Market” column is too small for all the digits
2. “Exorcism schedule”  is included in the seller’s disclosure
3. Doors to some rooms are locked, with a sign that says “Do not open until after the sale.  Surprise!”
4. When you arrive to see the house,  you discover that the FBI is waiting to walk around with you, “Just in Case”
5. The Realtor asks for your next of kin before they open the front door
6. The “Not Included in the Sale”  list mentions electricity, water, roof…
7. The house next door has three large Greek letters on the front  — and residents, er um, “asleep” on the lawn
8. You have to remove the “Crime Scene” tape to enter the house
9. It’s described as a great place for “An energetic do-it-yourself type who can see hidden potential”
10. The first words out of the Realtor’s mouth are “You’ll get used to the smell…”

Have a “you knew it was the wrong house” story of your own?  We would love to hear it!  Leave us a comment and give us your own tale of house-hunting woe!

Before you buy, make a list

What an exciting day!  You’re heading out to start looking for your new home!

Whether you’re a first time buyer, or an experienced homeowner, it’s easy to caught up in the moment and forget about what you really want in a home.

That’s where your checklist can come in.  Pick a time when you’re not in a hurry and really think about what you want in a home.  Make a list of your top 10 or 15 wants…and your top 10 – 15 pet peeves when it comes to homes.

Be specific.   Don’t just write “Nice yard”.  Think about what that means to you.  Shade?  Privacy fences?  Garden areas?  Put it all down in your list.  It could be something like “Yard with at least two big trees and a shaded patio.”

Then look over your list, and mark the top 3 must-haves and the top 3 deal-breakers.  What you’re creating is the picture of your ideal home.

Once you have your list, take it with you to every house you visit. Look at each home in terms of your list.  Does it meet most of your list?  And more importantly, does it meet your top threes?  If not, it’s probably not the home for you, no matter how great the deal or how beautiful the setting.

No home is going to meet every item on your list. But using a list to stay on track can help you avoid choosing a home that catches your eye today, but won’t make you happy in the long run.

 

Did you ever think to look for?…..the top 5 details most home buyers miss

When you’re looking for a new home, you probably have a list of “wants” and “needs”, like the distance from your work, the school district and the home size. It’s easy to overlook the details…those little things that can make a home wonderful or a nightmare once you settle in.  Sure, most of the little things can be fixed, but that can make living in your new home more of a project than you might want. Here’s a list of 5 things home shoppers forget to check out before they buy.

1. Electrical outlets – Some homes seem to have been built with the idea that “less is more” should apply to electrical outlets.  That means you’ll have to run extension cords, add multi-plugs or daisy-chain cords.  All dangerous choices, especially if your home includes pets, children or the elderly.  Ideally, there should be at least one outlet per wall in bedrooms and two per wall in public rooms like family rooms and dens, plus one double outlet per section of kitchen counter.
2. Cable access – Most homeowners expect to have some way to connect to cable or satellite TV and Internet.  If the only access is in the living room, you may be looking at big costs to add additional outlets in bedrooms, your home office or the kitchen. Consider where you are most likely to watch TV or locate a home computer to determine if the wiring works for you.
3. Nighttime noise – It’s easy to get distracted by daytime noise  when you’re house-hunting.  But what does the neighborhood sound like when you’re trying to relax on your porch or get  a good night’s sleep.  Before you place a offer, drive over to the new neighborhood, roll down your windows and listen.  You may hear road or business noise that would become an issue once you’re in the home.
4. Soil – Whether you like to garden, or just want to have beautiful landscaping, the quality of the soil matters. Look at the existing plants and lawn.  Is it thriving?  Or are you seeing dry, cracked ground or hard clay soil?  That could mean big expenses ahead when you need to have good soil delivered to your new home before you can plant.
5. Privacy – If you have children or other family members at home, or if you often have overnight guests, consider how the layout of the house would impact your privacy.   Do you share adjoining walls?  Share a bathroom?  It some houses you may have to walk through one room to get to another…no problem when you’re using it as a craft room, but when Great-Aunt Bertha comes to visit, it could become a major issue.