Can't Pick Between Two Homes? Tips That Can Help You Decide
One hard part of the home buying process will be if you find two homes you really like. With it being such a big decision you will struggle picking one to make an offer on. These tips can help you decide which home will be best for you:
Weight The Benefits
It may feel a little bit old-fashioned, but it helps to list the advantages and disadvantages of each property on paper. It will help you brainstorm all of the possible ways that each home is better and be able to compare them side-by-side.
In addition to aspects of the home itself, you should also list things about the home that are not directly related to its features. Things like how long the commute times are to your office, what kind of school district the home is in, and the proximity to public transportation. You may find that some of these things are weighed far more than others.
Schedule Same Day Visits
You'll always want additional opportunities to walk through each home. Try to have your realtor set up a showing of each home back-to-back if possible. You will be able to make a more direct comparison of each home when they are both fresh in your mind. For instance, you can even gauge how comfortable a home is by comparing the temperatures at the same time in a single day.
It also helps to visit each home during the day instead of at night. You'll get a better idea of how the home looks when they sunlight is pouring in through the windows. You may discover that one home gets more natural light than the others too.
Look At The Taxes
One element that many homeowners don't think about is the taxes. The amount that you owe in taxes for one home can be very different than another home, especially if it's in a different city.
Have your real estate agent find historical data on the taxes to get a good idea of what they could be. They can also help reach the city's current stance on property taxes. For instance, one city may have a property tax freeze that is set to expire in a few years, or another city may have a history of not raising property taxes for many years.
Speak with your agent for more ideas on how to compare two homes that you love. Contact a realtor that specializes in single family homes for sale for more information and assistance.