When searching for a property, it’s important to consider the future. I’ve learnt this after viewing countless properties and each of them being just not quite right for us. Sure, plenty of the houses we’ve seen have been fine, more than fine, and would work perfectly well for us right now. But I don’t want this to be a ‘for now’ move, I want to find a home that I can grow into and stay in one place for the first time in years. After moving a whopping 11 times during our 15 years together, my husband and I want to stay put for once! We’d quite like to find a house that will work great for us right now, a place where we can increase the value of the property, and that’ll still be a good investment in future years. So here’s what we’re considering when viewing properties – hope it helps:
Work proof
You know where you’re working right now, but things can certainly change in the future. You may be offered a position abroad, and would want to rent out your home while you’re working away. So is it rentable? Could it be a holiday home for a period of time? And if your role changes, or you become self-employed, is there space for you to be able to have an office and work from home? We are certainly looking for a house with an office space for me!
Family proof
If you can manage to get a slightly larger house than strictly necessary at this stage, it means you won’t need to move again in a hurry if your family grows in the future. It could be that you’re planning to have children in many, many years time but just having that option to fit in a growing family means that you won’t need to give up the home you love just to fit in the little ones. We’re looking at it from the point of view of having nieces and nephews to stay in the future, and living nearby to our family so that we can help out as they grow up. All of these factors should be considered as it may influence the type of house you buy and the location you choose.
Retirement proof
Okay, I’m talking many, many years into the future now, but we may still be living in the house we buy when we retire. If so, that probably means we’ve been happy living in our home for all these years and wouldn’t want to move in the future. So how upsetting would it be to have to move out when mobility becomes as issue later in life? Sure you can install stairlifts for the home so that it’s still possible to go upstairs, but having the option to use a downstairs room as a bedroom can eliminate the need to move house when you’re less mobile in the future. So we’re keeping an eye out for houses with dining rooms or office spaces that could be a bedroom and, rather unusually, we think that a downstairs bathroom is a bonus!
What do you think is an important thing to consider when you’re buying a first home? Should you try to get everything you need in one house or do you think that moving again in the future is inevitable? Let me know your thoughts and house-buying tips by leaving me a comment below or tweeting me @Cassiefairy.
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2 responses
Definitely helps, thank you! What a handy list of things to consider when you’re buying a home 😀 Totally agree about having a local community within close reach xx
Think about access to the front door too. If you’re considering a “forever” home or even just elderly visitors or Mums with tinies. Steps can be hard to negotiate.
Something I’ve learnt as I’ve become disabled is to have as large an entrance hall as possible. It’s also handy when you come home laden with shopping to be able to get as much through the door as possible on one trip.
Again look for space going into a room, narrow doors and or narrow areas leading into them are an inconvenience that grows out of proportion.
It’s not just the house either if you’re considering a very long term investment. Could you reach shops, Dr if you were infirm? If you didn’t drive are there reasonable transport options? Is there enough in the local community to sustain entertainment? Is there a local community?
Hope this helps.