The process of buying a house can quickly become a stressful experience if you’re not prepared, but working from a personalised property checklist can help.
Television advertisements and social media would have us believe that buying property should be fun, but that’s not always the case. While most people understandably feel anxious about things like accessing finance and navigating settlements, one would think that the actual process of finding the right property would be the easy part.
In reality, too many people approach the process without a strict set of buying criteria and therefore go in blind. Looking to capitalise on open-minded buyers, real estate agents can be notorious for showing prospective buyers properties that really don’t suit their needs or vision at all. Ultimately, this wastes the time, energy and resources of buyers, and increases the risk of ‘buying burnout’.
To avoid increasing your stress and fatigue levels and remove the joy out of what should be an exciting experience, buyers from all ends of the real estate spectrum need to go into the process appropriately prepared and armed with a personalised property checklist – but what exactly is it and what should it cover?
What A Personalised Property Checklist Should Cover
While almost every home buyer will have a few basic items on their property wishlist, such as a working toilet or no termite presence, other influencing factors are much more subjective. To identify the right qualifying criteria on a personalised property checklist, it’s really all about you.
A seasoned property investor will inevitably have wildly different property deal breakers when compared to the needs of first home buyers with young children. While some buyers will prioritise access to public transport, others would prefer a block of land with a minimum of six hundred square metres.
When it comes to buying the perfect property, everyone’s circumstances and preferences are different, so creating a personalised property checklist to help you sort the bad from the good is all about sitting down and working out what is important to you, your partner or family – but what sort of items should you cover?
Building Type – While some people are firmly against the purchase of an apartment or unit, are you equally as firm when it comes to a townhouse with your own private backyard or garden? When adding the essentials to your personalised property checklist, be sure to add the type of home you prefer, especially if you don’t want to pay strata or body corporate fees.
School Catchments – If you’re buying a home to share with your family, be sure to factor in your local school catchment. When it comes to your child’s education opportunities, your choice of suburb can not only have ramifications for years to come, but it’s also a good idea to address how your child would potentially get to school as well.
Public Transport – It’s all well and good to find your dream house on the outer suburbs of the city, but what happens if you need to travel into the office each day? How do you plan on getting there? Regardless of whether your mode of travel is catching the bus, tram or train, if access to public transport is a must for you, then be sure to add it to your personalised property checklist.
Property Features – While this is arguably the biggest section to cover on your property wishlist, the features of your ideal home can quickly weed out any potential duds that don’t match your lifestyle. Although it’s important to be relatively flexible, if items such as a single story home, side access or even having a shed are essential for you, then include them.
Aside from tackling the above items on your personalised property checklist, there’s another big factor to contend with: your budget. To avoid a harsh instance of expectation versus reality, it’s important to consult with a mortgage broker, determine how much you can afford to borrow, and eventually and eventually obtain the all important pre-approval before you even think about house hunting – but where do you find one?
Your Guide For Navigating The World Of Home Loans
With a background in banking, finance, business development and project management, there’s no better advocate to have on your team than Nikki Berzin. As a fully qualified mortgage broker and director of Cherry Lending & Finance, Nikki is passionate about all things finance, and empowering her clients with the tools to hit their property goals is what she does best.
If you’re looking to get into your first home, purchase an investment property or even want to look at your options for refinancing, the first step is starting the conversation. Get in touch with Nikki today, or call her directly on 0427 374 155 to bring your mortgage dreams to life.
Disclaimer: We recommend that you seek independent financial and taxation advice before acting on any information in this newsletter. It contains general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. We recommend that you consider whether it is appropriate for your circumstances. Your full financial situation will need to be reviewed prior to acceptance of any offer or product. Interest rates are subject to change without notice. Lenders terms, conditions, fees & charges apply.
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