Selecting, purchasing, and moving into a new house can be one long roller coaster ride. It is well worth the ride, however, after the deal has been done and the whole family is comfortably settled in and adjusting to their new home and new neighbourhood.
To ensure the maximum satisfaction after you have moved in and settled into your new house, you need to follow certain basic guiding principles that will ensure that you make all the right decisions along the way.
Guiding principles to help whilst making your house selection decisions
Before setting out to look at available houses on the market, you first need to create and write down your priorities. Take note of everything you desire in a house, taking notes also from the people that you will be living in the house with.
This is a necessary step in choosing a new house because, once you set out on the actual tour of the available houses, you are bound to be influenced by the features you see in each of the houses you visit. Having your priorities list handy will help to ensure that you stay true to your basic requirements.
Keep notes to help you keep track of the features of each of the houses you visit. This will help you to make accurate comparisons. You can take the comparison notes along with you as you make your house visits.
As you finish touring each house, you can immediately make notes that will help keep you on track. Take notes on the roof and floor condition, how well aerated or not the rooms are, how well lit the rooms are before sunset, available space for your furniture, etc.
As you make you make your visits, keep an open mind, and try to enjoy the tours. Take note of your first impressions as you visit each house. Take mental pictures of how you would like to use the available rooms and space. If you have a good vibe towards the ideas you have pictured in your mind, it might be a good sign that the house may suit your needs.
After your first tour of the house, it is essential that you make at least three more visits. Arrange your visits to fall on different times of the day. The reason for this being that it will enable you get a solid feel of what it will be like if you eventually move into the house. You will be able to note what the surrounding environment, and the neighbourhood, is like at different times of the day.
Multiple visits will also help you to make a decision on each house with a clear mind, free from the excitement that is often prevalent during the first visit. During your subsequent visits, it often helps to approach the potential new house with the air of a house inspector, rather than as a potential buyer. This will ensure that you make a sentiment-free decision.
Although it may sound silly, taking measurements of your furniture whilst visiting your potential new house might be helpful. Taking measurements will help you to avoid the risk of your furniture not fitting satisfactorily in the available space.
This might then lead to purchasing new furniture after you have just moved into the house, thereby spending extra cash on your move. You might also now have to get rid of your favourite piece of furniture, as it does not fit well in the available space.
Look through the closets and storage spaces to see if they will suit your needs. Proper storage of your belongings always lends a hand to how good your house looks. No one likes having piles of stuff lying here and there, occupying the available space that would have made your house look more spacious and easy on the eye.
Before making your decision, you should inspect the surrounding environment of the house. See what the neighbourhood looks like, and take note of what is near the property. For instance, are there unfavourable power lines, undesirable back alleys, etc.?
Also, check out the properties that are in the proximity of the house, such as retail shops, etc. Look through the windows of the house to see what the view is like. In some instances, if you happen to be facing an adjacent house and you are able to see into the living space of said house, that means that your potential neighbours can also see into your own room/rooms, as the case may be.
Always keep in mind before you decide to buy a house, the ability for the house to be resold in the future. Check whether the house has the potential to increase or decrease in value later. Some of the factors that might influence the future value of the house include the neighbourhood in which it is located, the potential for emerging markets, nearness to a basic amenity, or a desirable infrastructure. It is also important to note the patterns that exist in the area.
For instance, are people moving into the area more, or are they moving out more. This will help you to get a feel of what the neighbourhood/community might be like in the future, and help you figure out if the house can easily be resold in the near or distant future.
Now you have bought a house!
After you have made your choice, and paid for your new house, it is now time to move in!
Before you move into your new home, you need to consider the following:
- Take pest control measures to ensure that you do not move into an infested house. Even when it seems the house is pest free, there is a possibility that some unseen bugs or rodents are present.
- Do a thorough clean-up of the house. This is easier done before moving into the house, because your furniture and other items will not be in the way.
- Install security systems if they are not already in place.
- Set up basic items and utilities first after you move in. Set up your dining area, and set up your dining table, prepare your kitchen, install your refrigerator, etc. Other items that are not immediately needed can be left unpacked for the moment.
After you have settled in, you can slowly unpack other items. This will help to ensure that everything will be kept exactly where they it is needed after being unpacked, which might not be possible if you unpack all of your luggage at once, especially when you have a lot of it. However, you might need to go through some of your boxes to make sure that no item has gone missing during your move.
I do hope this article has been helpful to you. Have a fun-filled experience as you set out to find your new home.
