The pandemic had us confined in our homes for almost a year. As we transition into the new normal post-pandemic, our home environments have never been more critical. Our houses not only serve as our sanctuaries, but they’ve morphed into pseudo-offices, schools, gyms, and restaurants. The majority of homes now have multiple family members spending more of their time at home. Even as things begin to open up, the move to start getting out there again won’t be so easy.
Health and safety protocols in public spaces continue to be a source of stress and anxiety. The option to do the majority of our daily activities from the comfort of our own homes has never been so tempting.
Your home base during the pandemic was one of the most critical factors in keeping your spirits up, a chaotic or less than ideal home environment made for quite the turbulent isolation this past year. Therefore, it’s not surprising that more and more people have been looking into the real estate market searching for better living quarters, if not forever homes.
There is a multitude of factors to take into consideration when looking for a forever home. These vary for different individuals. Whether you’re looking to rent or take on a mortgage, here are some of the factors you should keep in mind when looking into the market:
Price
Considerably one of the most prominent factors to take into account when looking for a house in your price range. If you’re looking to buy, then chances are this will be one of the more significant financial obligations you’ll be taking on in your adult life. Remember to think about your 5-to-10-year plan when looking for a home. You should be able to grow and evolve with your investment as time passes.
Buying a house also means thinking about other factors such as your employment status and savings. If your dream home doesn’t give you enough leeway to make payments, even if you got a pay cut or spent your savings on something else, you may want to consider looking at a lower price range. Yes, you can currently afford your payments, but if a crisis arises, your obligations still need to be manageable at the end of the day.
Location
The second factor that carries a lot of weight is your home’s location. After all, this will determine your daily drive or commute, safety, schools, and community. Finding a great house in a less than optimal location, maybe it’s too far from work or doesn’t offer great options for schooling, the place is great, but you’ll feel these effects in your day-to-day once you’ve moved in.
There are also financial factors tied to the location, such as association fees and real estate taxes. Make sure the places you’re considering offer you a great community and security.
Renovation
You’d be surprised the good a fresh coat of paint can do! If you’re looking at new houses, then this might not be at the top of your priorities, but it still applies. Remember that bathrooms and kitchens are more complicated to fix than knocking down a wall to open up the space or changing the crown molding. So, if there are minor changes that you’d like to make to a new home that makes sense for you, then don’t sweat it. If you’re looking into homes that are definitely in need of renovations, then it’s important to set a hard limit on your allocated budget and deal breakers.
Renovations can take up a lot of your time and effort only to have it result in something other than what you imagined. Work with trusted contractors and workers who are guaranteed to stick to your budget and timeline. It takes a lot of creativity to turn a home into your haven.
Buying a house is an extreme undertaking when done by yourself. The process can be easily overwhelming for those who are new to the game. If you’re looking to get the best deals for your price point and benefit from the advice of an expert, then you definitely need to work with experienced real estate agents. Professionals can help you figure out what you’re looking for and get you the best deals on it.
Homes are meant to be lived in; we spend so much of our lives in this space it’s important to remember that there’s no rush to the house-hunting process. Don’t be blinded by housing trends that aren’t realistic in correlation to your living standards. Our lifestyles also come into play when looking for homes, but we also change over time. Anticipating and understanding these changes is one of the tricks to staying satisfied with your home in the long run.
