Top Features to Look for When Buying Your next Home

Searching for the perfect real estate property for your family can be a daunting task. While some homes are located in a great neighborhood with good roads and easy access to transportation, the size (and often the price) may not be right.

In some cases, you may have big bedrooms and a great view, but no room for even a small pocket garden. For some people, this can be considered a deal breaker — something that can make them decide against buying a specific piece of property.

While settling or compromising can be done to a certain extent, there are property features which are non-negotiable for potential buyers. When shopping for a new home or property to invest in, Robbie Antonio, Managing Director of Century Properties, encourages buyers to create a short list of their absolute must-haves to help narrow down their choices, and save both time and energy.

Here are few things to consider:

•Your new house and lot must be located in a good community.

Look for a neighborhood where your children can grow safely and your family can live peacefully. Having friendly neighbors is also a plus, but being friendly and neighborly is up to you.

Another thing to think through is the facilities and areas for recreation like parks, playgrounds, and open spaces. A good neighborhood should have communal areas to interact with neighbors and places for your kids to play and run.

A village clubhouse with swimming pools and a garden is a staple in high-end communities. However, if you are working on a limited budget, you can, at least, look for a neighborhood with basic recreational facilities.

•Your new home must be accessible to major roads and public transportation.

Accessibility is a major feature that is non-negotiable. A convenient home lets you go to work and go back home without much difficulty.

The road conditions within your community, including the roads outside of your village, should be in good condition. Accessibility to public transportation is also a must. Although you may own a car, living in areas where you can easily find public transport is an advantage.

•Your property’s accessibility to basic services is a must.

Your proximity to establishments that provide services and goods must also be considered. Hospitals, fire stations, police stations, grocery stores, markets, church or place of worship, schools or universities must be located near your area.

•The available space in your home must be enough to accommodate the needs of your growing family.

Buying a house and lot with just enough space for your small children might not be a good idea. Consider if the property can meet the growing needs of your family.

So, if you have a young son and daughter, and only have two rooms, this could be a problem later on. Your children will need their own rooms when they grow up, because just like you, they need their privacy too.

Then again, it the property can be expanded later on for another bedroom and toilet and bath, then you may consider buying it now and work on the expansion later.

These are just some examples of features to look for when scouting for a new property. It’s really all about what’s important to you as a buyer.