|
|
| |
Buying a Home
Martha Stewart may have left the big house, but she still lives in a big house. In
fact, she can bunk down in one of several. But unless you're Martha, chances are
your home-buying adventure will begin with some compromises, all coming down to what you can afford. To sum up, there are three main considerations (the whole enchilada is but a click away):
This will determine your commute to work and possibly your children's commute to school, not only in distance but perhaps more importantly in time. It will also dictate which school your children attend. It will play a bigger role than even you may think in choosing the restaurants and stores you will patronize, the recreational facilities you and your kids will use, the church, synagogue or temple you will attend, even where you get your cars serviced. And that's just the beginning.
Click here for more information on Location.
Size (and Style)
You already know how many bedrooms you need. But is the breakfast nook large enough to accommodate everybody at once without a food fight? Does the kids' bathroom have two sinks and a door between them and the tub/shower? Is a garage a necessity? High ceilings? Or more square footage? Will you actually use that formal dining room or is it mostly for show? Ditto the formal living room if your new house also has a great room (or Carolina room as some call it here). What about a bonus room for TV watching and kids playing? And we haven't even touched on traffic flow. Or new versus older. Established neighborhood versus growing subdivision. Dizzy yet?
Click here for more information on Size and Style.
Amenities
Some buyers insist on a large and elaborate lawn and garden, while others cringe at more than a postage stamp to mow and weed. Decide before you start the amount of time and energy (or money if Mikey is doing it) you want to devote to your yard. If you are in love with an array of heavy moldings, hardwoods, soaring ceilings, glass walls, granite countertops, designer faucets, professional grade kitchen appliances, etc., you can have them all. For a price. The same goes for on-site pools, tennis courts and golf courses/country clubs. We have 'em all. For some couples this is where the rubber meets the road, with significant others ultimately peeling out in opposite directions. Talk over your dreams and realities beforehand; try to get on the same page. Your realtor will love you for it. So will your marriage counselor.
Click here for more information on Amenitites.
And that brings us back to Money. Believe it or not, you may be better off than you think in this department. Mortgage rates are at their lowest in decades, so people can afford more house than they might otherwise be able to. There are numerous types of mortgages and even more variations on the themes. Your monthly "nut" can vary considerably depending on which mortgage product you choose. A large down payment will naturally lower your monthly outgo for housing. Interest is deductible for income tax purposes; they haven't taken that away from us yet! And paying off some of those nagging consumer debts could dramatically increase your home mortgage borrowing power. Money is yet another sea of potential confusion-and mistakes-that a good realtor will help you navigate.
|
|
|
