When it comes to house shopping, what do you look for in a home?

@kgwat70 (13388)
United States
March 10, 2007 9:16am CST
What do you look for in a home when you are looking to buy a house? What features do you want in your home? Are there some things that you can do without? Is the price of the house a big factor? I notice some houses nearby have been on sale for over 6 months now and am surprised that they have not sold as of yet.
6 people like this
27 responses
@brokentia (10389)
• United States
10 Mar 07
We just purchased our home a year and a half ago...and there were actually a lot of things that we looked for to find the right home. First, what is the neighborhood like? If it is a bad neighborhood...I would not want to live there. You can tell a lot just by looking around. And nor would I want it on a busy street...lowers property value while also not being safe. Does it have a decent yard and fenced? I do not want to go through the hassle of having the property people coming out to tell me where the property line is. If it is already there, I do not have to worry about it. At least two full bathrooms! I have seven kids and two showers are a must! But three toilets are a must also. You would not believe how many times children have to go at the same time! LOL How many rooms do you need? This is important to also know to plan ahead. If you know that at some point that you will have children and you like the house so well that you do not want to move, plan ahead. :) Sq footage. How much do your really need? And then add a bit from there. Of course, you accumulate things through the years. So, naturally, you might need more room than you really think. So again, plan ahead...grow into your house rather than out of your house. :) Washer.dryer connections. No way would I buy a house without those. Yes, most houses come with that...but again, the word is MOST. Along with dishwasher connections. There is no way I would have a kitchen that would not be able to have or already have a dishwasher! With seven kids...we go through a lot of dishes! Garden tub in master bath. I don't know about you, but I like being able to soak in the tub without feeling confined. Well...those are just some of the things we were looking at. LOL But when we decided we were going to buy a house...I wanted to make sure it was something we would like for a long time. :) It take a long time to pay if off...why get something that you would not be happy with?
2 people like this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
11 Mar 07
Looking for house definitely involves making sure there is enough room and space for the adults and children and possible children as well. The more people in the home the more rooms and bathrooms are needed. Having all major appliances was something that came with my house so I was very happy about that.
1 person likes this
• United States
10 Mar 07
I think Tia said most of what I would say. I just have a few other things I looked and would look for too: what kind of heat / air it has. Gas heat as really gotten expensive and that is the one thing I wish I didn't have in this house. I still bought it any way but it's still something I always ask about. I also have to have a basement - so that's a factor to. But the most important thing is price. You've got to have a pretty good idea about how much you want to spend and stay within that limit. When you can't spend a lot of money you tend to look a lot more. You don't want something that needs more work than you can or are willing to put into it. We've got a lot of houses in our small community for sale too. I think it's the economy right now and interests rates.
1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
10 Mar 07
I think when you're young and or healthy you look for things like carpet, cupboards, garage, and general condidtion of the house. I do however recommend that when buying a house ask yourself am I going to be able to upgrade one day or is this it my last house I buy? If this is likely to be your last house then for goodness sake think about how many stairs do you have to climb ? How accessable is the house for an ambulance if you need one. When we bought this house we were in good shape. About a week ago we needed an ambulance for my husband and we found out our house is not ambulance friendly, it's hard to turn a corner with a stretcher. and these stairs are getting hard on us. Just something to think about.
2 people like this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Mar 07
I had never thought about a house not being ambulance friendly. I think my townhouse is ambulance friendly though I do have to go up quite a few stairs and right now I am having pains in my body, including my knees so it is a bit harder. That is a good point about a persons health having to do with what type of home to get. Some people may need a home that has just one level, like a ranch home. Thank you for these tips. :-)
• United States
10 Mar 07
There are certain things that we must have which is at least 1100 sq feet. We are in a house that has only 700 sq feet now and its driving us nuts. We need the space badly. It must be at least two bedrooms (but most perferable 3+). Also it must have a very nice sized yard. Most everything else we can deal with, but those are the basics we need in order to even think about buying it.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
11 Mar 07
i would not mind having a somewhat bigger home as in my comment to the other member I would like to have another full bathroom. I wouldn't mind also have a closed in patio or a workout room.
@brimia (6581)
• United States
10 Mar 07
Price, of course, is one of the biggest factors. We only buy what we can afford. Location is probably the biggest factor. You can change pretty much anything about a house except for your neighborhood so it's important that it's safe and has all the amenities you need. When we were looking for our current home, a garage was high on our list too.
@mayenskie (1307)
• Philippines
10 Mar 07
First would probably the location - what kind of neighborhood would my family be living,is it safe? And it should be relatively near the school, work and market. Second is the price/cost question. Since some people have already lived in the house prior to us, is it worth the money i'll be investing? or do we still have to shell out big bucks for renovation? I would like the house to have 2 bathrooms, good sewage and running water, and if possible a backyard where i could have a little garden of flowering plants.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
11 Mar 07
I agree that a safe neighborhood would be very important as I would want to feel safe for myself and my family if I had a spouse and children. Having a home near schools, parks, malls and restaurants would be important things too. Right now I am fortunate to be in that situation. Those are very nice things that you would want.
• Singapore
10 Mar 07
I think location and how convenient it is to nearby amenities is very important. And of course, price would be the deciding factor. You can't very well live out of your means. :P
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Mar 07
I do think location is very important, especially if you have children. You want to probably make sure there are schools nearby and maybe a park. Pricing is definitely a factor since some homes cost way too much for us to afford.
• Singapore
13 Mar 07
If your kids are tiny, then yes. Otherwise, travelling a bit won't kill. I know because I have been travelling far distances to school the early part of my life. :P
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
11 Mar 07
In my experience, the reality is that I am looking for twice as many problems as the house I am leaving. Of course I do not believe that during the process, but that is how it worked out last time. At least the realtor was able to walk away with a bunch of our equity.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
10 Mar 07
When I hunt for my next home, it will be a one floor plan and will be accessible for a wheelchair. My son is going to be in one and I want the whole house to be accessible for him with all the extras to make his life much easier.
1 person likes this
@kgwat70 (13388)
• United States
10 Mar 07
It is important to have a one floor plan if we or our children have physical limitations that prevent us from going up stairs. I know my parents when they sell their home, will also look for a place that is one level because of my moms knee problems. That is great that you are doing everything you can to help make your son's life much easier and more comfortable.
• United States
15 Mar 07
I look for a home that will suit my needs of comfort. That the layout is correct. I have had many homes, and now know exactly what I want. I want it to be open, not too large, but cozy. I need a large deck off the kitchen or landry room. A wall in the living room to hold a large screen tv that is opposite of the couch. I want the master bedroom and bath on one side of the house, and the other bedrooms and bathrooms on the opposite side. I do not care about the appliances, as I will always purchase my own new. As far as homes not selling in 6 months, means the price is too high. It doesn't match the cma. I was in realestate in two states. It's always the money issue.
1 person likes this
• India
11 Mar 07
wel i am quite a dreamy guy...and whenever I have dreamed of my house... I have always dreamt of a place in the mountains.... away from the traffic... away from pollution...from the devil called 'HUMAN'...in the outskirts of happiness and peace.... in the outskirts of relaxation of life..... With large rooms..... beutiful endorements..... everything qiuite near to nature as me and my mom are great nature lovers....so is myt brother too... I understand it might sound quite a wierd to you people but not very wierd to me....
1 person likes this
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
11 Mar 07
In most places, it is a buyer's market right now. There are more homes for sale than there are buyers for those homes. We just sold our old house and are looking to buy a new one. Price is the most importnat, because if you can't afford it, you shouldn't even be looking at it. For me and my husband, we want at least 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a basement, and at least 5 acres of land. Other than that, we can fix it up if it is rundown, or if they style is ugly. We care more about the land than the house.
1 person likes this
@roque20 (518)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
i think its the space of the house and the appliances.. how about you?
• China
11 Mar 07
Of course I'm looking to buy a big and soft bed . If I'm looking in summer I want an air-conditioning because I hate the hot-day verymuch. If in winter , I would buy a washing machine . In short , I can't live without the modem machine . I think that the price of the house is a big factor. Sometimes the price means convenience , everyone knows the house which nearby the center of city is on high price.
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Mar 07
Price is of course a major factor, however the condition of the home is a major importance for my husband and I. We recently purchased a condo and renovated it in its entirety. After remodeling it from top to bottom, we have realized that with the next home we purchase, we have to find one where we are in love with the kitchen and bathrooms. Those rooms are so messy and expensive to remodel that if I were browsing for a new home, those would be the first rooms I would want to look at. Everything else you could basically get to your liking, whether it be new carpeting or paint...etc. Those things are small. But a well-maintained home with a not so bad kitchen and/or bathroom(s) is the big factor for me. Of course, the price has to be right too!
@shooie (4984)
• United States
11 Mar 07
believe it or not I look at the bath tub. hehe
1 person likes this
• United States
11 Mar 07
Location! Location! Location! It is the most important thing you should look for. You can change the house, remodel, add to it but you can't change the location. I look for the best schools in that area. If I get that in my price range I will go for pretty much any house. Houses which sit on the market the OVERPRICE is the main reason they don't sell. Remember you can sell anyprice as long as the price is right.
1 person likes this
@bicklelady (1404)
• United States
11 Mar 07
First I check out the kitchen and then the bathrooms. It always has to have plenty of room for my hubby and two boys to be able to horse play without breaking anything.
1 person likes this
• Netherlands
11 Mar 07
I'll look on the price first. It has to fit my budget. Then I'll look the house space. I'd rather look for an empty house and I don't mind abandoned house as well. The house price might be cheaper, and I can just do my own decorate/style in that house. Because I'll certainly put my own ideas and stuff if I buy a house, not just re-paint and take what's left from the previous owner.
1 person likes this
@kurtbiewald (2625)
• United States
11 Mar 07
i would say small, cheap, a fireplace, a glassed in sunroom I think the land is WAy more important the house is just a wooden box really could build it myself a room at a time for maybe $20K
1 person likes this
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
The big factor? Well, the first factor would be the type of neighborhood. Afterall, I don't want to live in a beautiful but would constantly worry about being harassed. The biggest factor would be finding a house that I would be at-home-with. I mean, being comfortable and relaxed. That's the best way to go.
1 person likes this