Buying a house or an apartment is a big investment – probably one of the biggest you’re going to make. When you’re spending an amount on a new home, you’d like to know that you’re getting as much value as possible for your money. We have the checklist you need to make the best decision – and turn you into an expert home-hunter with a few simple tips.

Listen to your gut feeling

You already know that you don’t have to buy a home to be successful; and you probably know that there are a lot of benefits to renting a home, too – particularly if you move around a lot. When you’ve decided that transitioning into a homeowner is the right step for you, try to shut off all the well-intended advice around you.

It’s an exciting new phase of your life and some of your family members who have already been there themselves, are going to talk real-estate every time you meet from now on. You don’t have to swallow every advice they give; you know better than anyone where you would like to live, so just keep smiling politely. Show them this article if they won’t keep quiet.

Work with professionals

If this is your first time buying a home, you need to hire experienced professionals to inspect the home. They’re going to pick up on a lot that you would have overlooked as you’ve never done this before – and flushing the toilet is usually not a good enough sign of the property’s condition. Have a look at manausa.com or ask around for advice on good contacts – your friends and family members will be happy to help out.

Look at the exterior

You’re going to see the outside of the house first, so it’s natural that this is your first place of focus. Spend a bit of time here and see if the roof is in need of repair or if it looks weather-beaten in general. There are a lot of aspects you should consider before buying that goes beyond the inspection – houzz.com has an excellent checklist, so make sure to have a look at this.

When a house is neglected on the outside, the chances are that you’ll need to pay up, later on, to have it repaired. Plus, it doesn’t speak well of the effort its owners have put into maintaining it in general.

Knock on the interior

When you walk in, don’t get put off by a room in need of paint. You’re most likely going to give it a fresh layer when you move in, to make it feel more like your home – unless it’s recently painted. Spend time on sniffing out bigger problems with the property, such as mould and general dampness; these problems are only going to grow with time and will be expensive for both your wallet and your health.

Knock on the walls to feel the thickness of them and spend a bit of time by the windows. If the walls sound hollow or the windows look old and frail, you’re going to be cold in the winter and warm in the summer. It’s an easy fix these days as you can just turn on the heater or the air conditioner – but beware of high energy bills later on.

When the place is a bit old, it’s likely to have frail windows. You could ask to have them replaced, or that they replace the old heating systems. These are things that will cost you later on, so make sure your new home is up to date before you buy it.

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