Buying a Starter Home

If You Ignore These Issues, Buying A House Could Mean Future Trouble

23 March 2017

Capucine Leroux

While looking at and picturing yourself in different houses for sale can be fun, the purchase of a new house represents a major financial investment that you'll be responsible for in the years to come. That's why you've got to be as diligent as possible about how you go about the buying process. Ignoring the issues below could lead to future trouble.

Loan Amount

Many people start the homebuying ritual by checking out different houses for sale in their neighborhood or through ads they see in the newspaper. This can lead to trouble because what happens is that they hope to afford the house they fall in love with, often stretching themselves thin to cover the mortgage costs, which can cause further financial stress.

To make sure that doesn't happen to your family, get a loan ahead of any visits to homes. This will allow your realtor to keep the house search to only those below a certain amount so that any home you do visit and love will be affordable for you.

Property Boundaries

A lot of those looking for a place assume that the boundaries aren't an issue they need to pay attention to. They trust the seller about the fence being on the relevant property and pay more attention to the house. This can cause problems when you or neighbors want to install new fencing or put up another small garage or shed; further investigation could show that property lines are not in the place you thought they were. Neighbors can request that a fence come down or otherwise cause trouble for you. To prevent that, ask a surveyor to verify the true lines in place.

Flooding and Other Weather Events

Visiting a house that seems well-priced seems like a dream come true at first, but you may later discover that the area floods during every thunderstorm or that major thoroughfares in the area flood throughout the year. That could mean problems commuting to work or to grocery stores. Ask a realtor about anything that seems too good to be true. You might still purchase the home, but you'll know that you should be adequately insured and take actions that will keep everyone safe and protect your investment.

By giving attention to the issues laid out here, you can more easily avoid problems that could creep up after you buy a particular home. Check in regularly with the realtor you're using so all concerns are considered and addressed before you buy.

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