Home Buyers
Many people are intimidated by the home-buying process. The following information will give you the knowledge you need to feel confident about looking for a home.
Hunting for a home
Once you know how much you can afford and what kind of house you want, there are many ways you can go about finding a home.
- Drive around the neighborhoods where you would like to live and see if there are any 'For Sale' signs out.
- Look in papers like the Property Press and in local newspapers that feature homes for sale in your area.
- Use real estate sites on the Internet to search for houses in your area and within your price range.
- Ask a real estate agent to help you look for a home. Tell the agent what you are looking for, where you would like to live, and how much you want to spend.
- Look in real estate agents' shop windows to find out what homes they have listed for sale.
- If you find a particular home you'd like to buy, or a street you'd like to buy a house in, you can leave a note in the letterbox(es) asking the owners if they want to sell their home or if they know anyone else who is thinking about selling.
Most importantly, don't rush! When looking for a home, our emotions and excitement can get the better of us. It's easy to rush in and make the wrong decision. Take your time, look around, and make the right choice. Take a friend or family member with you to look at houses so you have someone to talk things over with.
Things to look out for
It's hard to see all of the things that might need fixing when you're looking through a house. Take the time to inspect it carefully to make sure it's in good condition. Open the cupboards, look at the roof, get under the house (if you can), and explore the nooks and crannies.
This will be one of the biggest purchases you will ever make, and you don't want to miss anything. Take your time and make notes .Following is a list of things to look out for.
General
- Are the floor coverings in good condition?
- Does the house have curtains?
- Could you live with the decor?
- Is the floor level, or does it dip up and down?
- Are there enough power points and telephone jacks?
- What kind of heating does the house have? Is it in good condition?
- Is there enough natural light?
- Is the hot water cylinder big enough?
- Will your current furniture fit?
- Is there enough storage space?
- Do the windows open and close properly?
Questions to ask
When you visit a house that's for sale, you'll need to ask some questions. These questions will help you to get a feel for the house and understand why it's being sold. The answers will help you to decide whether a house will meet your needs.
- Why are the owners selling the house?
- How long has the house been on the market?
- How much interest has there been in the house?
- What is the rateable valuation (formerly called the government valuation)?
- What are the neighbours like - do they have children, pets, or noisy parties?
- What sporting facilities are in the area?
- What school zone/s is the house in?
- What time of the day does the house get the sun?
- Can you show me where the boundaries are?
- Does the house need any repairs?
- Have there been any recent changes to the house? Do these have consents and permits?
- Have the wiring, piles, plumbing, or roof been replaced? If so, when?
- What heating and insulation does it have? Is it in working condition?
- What fittings (sometimes called chattels) are being sold with the home?
- Have there been any leaking problems? It's important to know if there have been any problems, particularly if the house is a modern design or has had post-1990 additions.