Purchasing your house is a big deal and something you don’t want to take lightly. It is one of (if not the) biggest purchase you will ever make in your life and you want to do it right. Your home is somewhere you will return to every day and you want it to be a place where you feel relaxed, comfortable and can make your own. Whether you are purchasing a house with a partner, by yourself or perhaps with a friend, there is a lot to think about. In this article we explore some of the top things to look out for when purchasing your first house. Keep on reading to find out more. 

 

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Consider what you can afford

The first thing you need to consider when purchasing your first house is what you can afford. It’s important you don’t go above your budget and that you only get a mortgage that you can comfortably pay back each month. The last thing you want is for you to end up stretching yourself too much and being unable to afford to either make your payments back, or to continue with things in your life you like to do such as eating out or going on holiday. It’s a good idea to create a budget calculator which will enable you to work out how much money you have to spend on your mortgage, factoring in your bills and other living expenses. This will help you not go over and it will be a lot more manageable.

Think about the area you want to live in

The area is one of the most important things to consider when you purchase a house as you could have the best property in the world, but if the area feels unsafe, or if it’s not close to shops or amenities, it can be a problem. If you are moving somewhere new, make sure you check out the area thoroughly before deciding to set up roots there. You could go for the day, have lunch and dinner, go for a walk and see how you feel about it. You could even book an overnight stay so you have the chance to really see what it is like to live there, to speak to the locals and get a better feel. You could also take a look at what’s available on the market while you are there, perhaps booking in viewings, or checking out the neighbourhoods they are in. This will make it easier when you’re back home and searching online to picture where these houses are located. 

Decide if you want a new build or a doer-upper

Two of the main choices when you are buying a house are whether you want a property that is new and ready to go, or one you need to do up. There are pros and cons to both depending on what you’re after, so make sure you weigh up the options and decide on what is right for you. If you’re someone that loves a project and perhaps wants less of an overhead on the property itself, a doer-upper is the best choice. If you want to just find a property that is to your taste and move into it right away, a new build could be best for you. Keep in mind this can be more expensive upfront and may depreciate in value as it won’t be able to be marketed as a new build again in the future.

How long you want to live in the house for 

When you are looking at houses, you need to consider how long you want to live in the house for. Are you thinking of this as a place where you will live for years, potentially raise children and just generally spend the next chunk of your future? Alternatively, is this house going to be somewhere where you want to just get on the property ladder and don’t mind too much about moving again in a few years? If this is the case, you probably will be less fussy about the property itself and look more into what price you can get in order to just get started with being on the property ladder. 

Whether it will work in the future

If you are planning to use your home for a few years, you need to consider how well it will work going forward. If you are wanting to have children in the near future for example, will the house work for a growing family? You will need to have at least two bedrooms, so you can have a room for yourself and then there is a nursery for your baby. Alternatively, are you planning on getting a pet? If you are planning on having a child or an animal, things like having a back garden is super useful, as well are things like wooden or laminate floors which can save you from having a mess on the floor if they have any accidents when you are potty training! While these aren’t main factors in purchasing the property, they are helpful things to consider that might sway you if you are torn between two similar places. 

Your vision for the house

When you are purchasing a house, you need to always keep your vision in mind for what you want from it. It can be very easy to fixate on the design that the current property owners have and it might be difficult to see past this. Instead, try and view it as a clean slate, picturing what colours and decorations you will have there, how you can change up the rooms and what you will do to make it your own. Try to think of it as a blank canvas which will be yours to do with it what you want, turning it into your home from just a house.

If it has any outside space

Outside space is always good to have in a home. It is somewhere you can escape to without having to properly go out and you can do things such as grow plants and vegetables, have BBQs with friends and family and spend time with your children. You can have a slide and swings if you have kids, or even look into investing into something like a hot tub. Look into what sort of outside space the property has, and the potential it has for you being able to do it up and make something of it that’s to your taste.

What amenities it is near to 

One of the most important things when you move is how close the property is to amenities. You might not worry too much about it if you drive and won’t be at home much due to work, but if you are someone that needs to walk and get public transport, it’s vital. Check out things like how near the local supermarket is, how you can get to things like a train station or bus stop, and what else is nearby. Will you want a gym within walking distance? Perhaps you want to be near a library or coffee shops. These are all things you should check out before putting an offer down on a property, even if it feels like the most perfect property at the time. The location is super important in making a house a home!

What the parking is like

If you own a car, you need to know how well you can park it when you buy a house. There are many houses which come with things like garages or driveways, but plenty also don’t and this can be cumbersome. You might have a flat in the middle of a busy town or city where there is limited on street parking, or you need to get a permit in order to park there. This could be an issue if you never find a space, or perhaps you want people to be able to drive and visit you, but there is never any parking nearby. You could ask residents of the other flats in the building you’re looking at when you go to view a property, or take a look online to see what the council’s parking policies are for certain areas near where you are looking to move to.

These are just a few things you need to think about when you are buying your first home. As said above, there are a myriad of things to consider when it comes to purchasing your first home that will ensure you make the right choice. You want buying your home to be exciting and to know you have made the right decision. Whether this is planning with the future in mind and making sure you have enough space, to not go over your budget. What are some top tips you have for someone who might be purchasing their first home? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.