Friday 11 November 2011

Military House Hunting Made Easy

10 Things You Must Know When Finding a Home


Once you've decided to buy a home, there's a number of issues that need to be considered.  Buying a home will be one of the biggest purchases you make in your life. These 10 Things You Must Know When Finding a Home" can make House Hunting trip easier.
In this report, we outline 10 Questions and Answers to help you make informed choices when purchasing a home. Military Home Closing Centers are available throughout Nova Scotia to help guide you through this process. There are some several Military Home Closing Centers Members close to where you wish to buy that can be reached in advance of your House Hunting trip.  For further information or for the closest Military Home Closing Center member near to where you wish to buy your dream home please feel free to email us at bbalcom@algvip.com or call 1 877 343 9897.

1. What Should I Look For When Deciding On A Community?
It is important to communicate  your wish list to one of our Military Home Closing Center Member real estate firms approved and listed on our website militaryhomeclosingcenters.com Such things as schools, arenas, location to your employment, museums, restaruants, threatre, art, and entertainment are all critical in the House Hunting selection process. Your Miliatry Home Closing Center Member can help you with this decision. They are trained and experienced professionals, ready, willing and able to serve the military family make a good decision. 

2. How Can I Find Out About Local Schools?
Your trusted Military Home Closing Center member will have at your disposal all the relevant information as to schools and communities they can provide to you on request. There will be no need to go find this information.  

3. How Can I Find Out About Community Resources?
Again, Your Military Home Closing Center member will have a list of all community information already available for you to review .Ask any questions important to you and/or your family.

4. How Can I Find Out How Much Homes Are Selling For In Certain Communities and Neighborhoods?
Your Militay Home Closing Center members are all DND- IRP Approved real estate agents/lawyers  and  can give you a ballpark figures by showing you comparable listings.

5. How Can I Find Information On The Property Tax Liability?
The total amount of the previous year's property taxes is usually included in the listing information. If it's not, ask the seller for a tax receipt or contact the local assessor's office. Tax rates can change from year to year, so these figures maybe approximate.

6. What Other Tax Issues Should I Take Into Consideration?
All Military Home Closing Centers can make available complete tax information on any homes of interest.

7. Is An Older Home A Better Value Than A New One?
There isn't a definitive answer to this question. You should look at each home for its individual characteristics. Generally, older homes may be in more established neighborhoods, offer more ambiance, and have lower property tax rates. People who buy older homes, however, shouldn't mind maintaining their home and making some repairs. Newer homes tend to use more modern architecture and systems, are usually easier to maintain, and may be more energy-efficient. People who buy new homes often don't want to worry initially about upkeep and repairs. Military Home Closing Centers also have the ability to offer new home construction advice to the military families looking to build their dream home. 

8. What Should I Look For When Walking Through A Home?
In addition to comparing the home to your minimum requirement and wish lists, consider the following:
  • Is there enough room for both the present and the future?
  • Are there enough bedrooms and bathrooms?
  • Is the house structurally sound?
  • Do the mechanical systems and appliances work?
  • Is the yard big enough?
  • Do you like the floor plan?
  • Will your furniture fit in the space? Is there enough storage space? (Bring a tape measure to better answer these questions)
  • Does anything need to be repaired or replaced? Will the seller repair or replace the items?
  • Imagine the house in good weather and bad, and in each season. Will you be happy with it year 'round?
Take your time and think carefully about each house you see. Ask your Military Home Closing Center real estate agent to point out the pros and cons of each home from a professional standpoint.

9. What Questions Should I Ask When Looking At Homes?
Many of your questions should focus on potential problems and maintenance issues. Does anything need to be replaced? What things require ongoing maintenance (e.g., paint, roof,  appliances, carpet)? Also ask about the house and neighborhood, focusing on quality of life issues. Be sure the seller's or real estate agent's answers are clear and complete. Ask questions until you understand all of the information they've given. Making a list of questions ahead of time will help you organize your thoughts and arrange all of the information you receive.

10. How Can I Keep Track Of All The Homes I See?
If possible, take photographs of each house: the outside, the major rooms, the yard, and extra features that you like or ones you see as potential problems. And don't hesitate to return for a second look. You may also wish to find out if the home is available online. Photos of the property may already be up on a website for you to review.

No comments:

Post a Comment