Home Buying Tips: Don't Buy that House

Buying a home is a major investment-the economic issues of the past couple years have taught us that if we didn't know it before. Buyers are warned to check foundations and electrical systems of the houses they are interested in, and when these checks come back clean, people often jump in with both feet. Often, however, home buyers are disappointed with some of the features in the house some of which are not fixable. These buying tips are issues potential buyers should carefully consider before signing the papers.

Buying tip 1--Noise. Moving from a secluded country home to a house in town may be a good move economically, but the town location is bound to have more noise including traffic, kids, birds, dogs barking and so on. It may not seem like a big deal before you move, but if you like to sleep in on Sundays and the church bell a block away from your house starts ringing at 7 am, you are likely to be unhappy. This is one of the buying tips few people think about before purchasing. You should visit the house at a variety of different times and days of the week to get the true feel of the noise level.

Buying tip 2--Sun. Think about the time of year and time of day you are visiting the house and how the sun would shine differently at other times. The place might have a great dining room with beautiful morning views. In the winter, however, the sun coming through the windows is so blinding that the room is unusable unless all the shades are drawn, eliminating what you so liked about the room, and perhaps the house, to begin with.

Buying tip 3--Water pressure. "Oh, this big lawn won't be such a hassle once we put in a sprinkler system." Famous last words. Some houses still share their water with too many other households, creating a lack of pressure that can be incredibly annoying not only for outside projects but even small inside jobs such as using the sprayer to rinse out a trash can. Without good pressure, it won't come very clean by just spraying.

Buying tip 4--Weather. This is best explained through a personal example. We lived in a little cul-de-sac right off a major highway. The highway was well taken care of, always plowed right away as soon as snow started falling. Our driveway was about 100 yards from the highway, so we figured we wouldn't have much trouble with the snow. So what was the problem? Our daughter had a Camaro. It hadn't occurred to us when we moved in the house that it would be such a problem to get her to the highway.

Buying tip 5--Electrical concerns. Although many potential home buyers will have an inspection that includes electrical check, the results tell you if the system is up to code, not if the system will work for you. Many modern houses are like mine: we have five laptops, two desktops, three televisions, two DVD players, a VCR, a cable box, several gaming systems, and so on. We are an electronic society, and many older houses are not equipped for such need. Sometimes this is a fixable problem; sometimes it is not. It is definitely an issue to consider before buying a home. (Along with this issue is that of outlet plugs. Does the home have enough for your needs?)

Although these issues may not be deal breakers for many people considering buying a home, it is best to learn about them before purchasing in order to prevent disappointment. After all, buying a house is stressful enough; nobody wants unpleasant surprises after moving in. Following these buying tips should make the purchase feel more like a home.