The art of house hunting is an easy skill to learn, provided that you know how to use the tools that are available to you. With the age of free information and the Internet, you can just open your browser and look for the best house deals. You can do this at home, inside a coffee shop, or even on your smartphone while walking or relaxing during office break hours.
But to be really good in home hunting, you need to keep in mind the safety and accessibility of your home’s location. Below are very important things that you need to check before you decide on buying or renting the unit.
1. The Neighborhood
Is the area or neighborhood where the house is located safe? Is it an area where it is protected against criminal elements often? Are the neighbors friendly and they look out for each other?
This is a very important reason why a lot of people would prefer to live in villages and subdivisions rather than in some run-down neighborhood; subdivisions and villages have armed guards and high walls that protect each and every house from criminals and other suspicious elements. Most subdivisions also have neighborhood organizations that help each other whenever one of their members are in need. A neighborhood with this setting is always a great place to live in.
2. Power, Water, and other Utilities
Is the house located where power and water interruptions are the norm? How about Internet connection? Is the house accessible for power, water, and Internet installation? Unless if you’re planning on living in a far away rural area, the house where you plan to live should be in an area where power, water, and Internet connection is always good. And even if there are problems, it should be a location where it will be easy for repair crews or servicemen to check and repair the line.
3. Drainage
Is the house drainage system still working properly? Do any of the pipes have molds or rust in them? Do they need replacing?
One can never underestimate the importance of a home’s drainage system. Therefore, if a home that you’re checking is having serious issues with drainage, then it’s time to move forward and look for other options.
4. Others
Is the ceiling still in good condition? Is the house free from common house pests, like cockroaches, flies and termites? Which area of the house is made from light materials? These three questions are not as common as the ones mentioned above, but a good house hunter should also ask these questions just to make sure that the house is indeed worth its value.
Check for every nook and cranny to see if there are little patches of earth or soil forming on either the wooden foundation or on the ceilings; these are always the first signs of a termite infestation, so talk to the home owner about this problem and resolve it first. If the ceilings are no longer in good condition, then have them replaced by the house owner.
Again, these questions might sound too simple, but these questions matter if you want to buy or rent a very good home. So for everyone house hunting out there, good luck and remember, you can check out our Persquare app here!