This page from Audrie's Home Buyer's Guide can be used before or after finding a house you are interested in buying.
The object is to have something tangible to compare homes you like.
Print this page.
Put a check mark under "ranking" for as many categories as you can, and fill in the house address, seller's name and phone number.
Name of neighborhood:_______________________________________
Address of prospective home:__________________________________
Seller's Name:______________________________________________
Seller's Phone:______________________________________________
Nothing kills property value as fast as a forest of "for sale" signs driven by lay-offs and plant closings. Look for towns with lots of jobs in the Sunday employment section.
Also be cautious of towns with a single big employer. Home values can fall fast if the dominant employer cuts back or closes plants.
Any major construction can alter the value of homes close by.
Check with the local planning board or your real estate agent to make sure an eight lane highway isn't about to come through the quiet neighborhood where you are about to make an offer.
Do you have friends or coworkers who live in the area, or have said good things about it?
Walk through the neighborhood: Not a slow drive ! Get out of the car and walk for several blocks. It is by far the best way to get a feel for a neighborhood.
Ask the owner to introduce you to a next door neighbor.
Talk to other people who live in the neighborhood. Ask them how the area compares to other neighborhoods in which you have interest.
If you have to commute, will you be near the highway, subway or train station you will be using? If you and your spouse will be working in different parts of town, consider a midway location.
Will you have to travel miles to pick up groceries, or is the prospective home convenient to a shopping center? Will living near a shopping center create unwanted traffic congestion?
Heavy traffic on neighborhood roads creates safety hazards for children plus noise and air pollution. Heavy traffic may also be a sign of poor county planning which could lead to other problems.
Contract Package $14.20
Real estate forms & contracts to legally sell or buy a home. Download them in Microsoft Word format for Windows & Mac. Order now.
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Copyright Jan. 2006 by Audrie.com Corporation
Stone Mountain, Georgia Fax: 770-469-2180
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