We spent a number of weekends hunting for ‘This Home’ we had conjured up in our heads!? Did it even exist? It was such an eye opening experience when we were on the hunt for our next house. Not only did we discover new areas and admired different styles of architecture but we generally enjoyed every moment of peeking into so many homes. It really helped having our own list of top considerations, as you can only see so much on Google Street view or that ‘drive-by’!
We have only moved twice but we learnt a lot from finding and doing up our first house. It’s now been six years since we found and moved into This Home Grows and we feel pretty content to continue growing it! Who knows if either of us will get itchy feet one day, as a Taurean, I’m not afraid to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in! But for now, I get my property thrills from Rightmove, as I enjoy spotting a fixer upper and dreaming of the possibilities…then it’s back to Pinterest for finishing ‘This Home’.
Everyone might have different opinions about what makes a home attractive and stand out as that special one, but for us, there was definitely a list of key factors that meant ‘This Home’ made a positive impression from the start. Here are our top four considerations, which might be useful if you’re starting out on your search.
1. Location, Location, Location
One of the most important factors for us was the location, although this may not apply for everyone. Our property search began when we had just become puppy parents to Milly and before we got engaged. However, it didn’t stop us thinking about the future and how we might want to live. It’s fair to say, we were hunting for a ‘forever home’ and it had a checklist to match.
We hoped to have a family of our own one day, so thinking about a home for the future was high up. Therefore, school catchment areas were an included consideration. We didn’t discount any properties as a result of this but it encouraged a quick search on Ofsted. Our personal view was that schools change and with no idea when we might need to think about our potential offsprings education, it was not going to be a deciding factor. Instead, one to be aware and with good options around it fitted into the ‘nice to have’ list.
Next up was transport links in the area when we were hunting for ‘This Home’. We wanted to be within close driving distance to the train station for work and the city centre for convenience. Also knowing there were supermarkets nearby was super handy to think about.
Probably near the top for consideration was the feel of the immediate surrounding area and its setting. ‘This Home’ has all the feelings and look of the countryside despite being in a city. Having both a National Park and the coast on our doorstep are wonderful as we’re keen walkers (apparently Milly is too!?).
Of course, a lot of these things, the house or owner cannot have any control over but knowing the approximate distance to local amenities was such a good thing to be aware of when viewing.
2. Stay Detached
Not in the literal sense. I mean the emotional kind. Neither of us were very good at this one! For us, homes evoke so much emotion, as we wanted more than a house flip project. It was a house that meant hope for the future too.
What I would advise is to try and keep your cards close to your chest when viewing any property! Do not do as the Hubby did, see my post on ‘Buy A House On The Feeling‘. We were lucky in our situation that he didn’t blow it, but you might pay more for a house than you need to if you get emotional about it. Do your workings out away from a viewing (if possible!) where you can work out how much you are prepared to pay. We did this and stuck ruthlessly to what we could afford. Have a pre-determined red line and don’t go past it. If it doesn’t work out then maybe it wasn’t meant to be.
3. Add Value
Our view is that every property has a ceiling point on its price in a given area. We wanted a ‘project’ but it’s important to ask yourself ‘can we add value to this house’?
Very quickly we knew that we’d want to change one of the bedrooms here into an en-suite. Our decision was based on knowing that we still had scope to add more bedrooms if we wanted. A lot of people are now adding garden office rooms and general ‘spaces’ outside to enjoy. If I ever win the lottery I’m heading straight for this Real Homes list!
Value doesn’t have to mean full-blown renovation. Our first house update was mainly cosmetic including painting, new carpets and a bit of DIY. For example, we improved the kitchen with new worktops, appliances and up-cycled the units. Those changes really paid off.
The hubby and I have never looked for the ‘finished’ house because we wanted to put our own stamp on one. We viewed one ‘finished’ house that was completed to a high standard and it still made us think about how we could add our own touches. I completely appreciate this isn’t for everyone and some don’t want the stress of renovation – I get it!
Ask yourself if you want to grow a home or buy something that is perfect for you now. If you’re looking for a new build property then you might want to review your checklist and add pointers on (appliances, eco-rating, maintenance charges etc).
If you’re like us and want a challenge then these were aspects we were actually drawn to instead of being put off by (which we probably should have been!?).
- Mature and overgrown garden with established shrubs.
- Original bathrooms and kitchens (with avocado green cast iron baths and green-tiled kitchens) that need fully renovating. Pretty much every house we looked at had a green bath actually!
- An outdated layout that doesn’t meet modern-living.
- Shabby carpets, paint falling off and an ‘old’ musty smell. Our favourite haha!
- No central heating and signs of electrical aging.
We were amazed that some owners didn’t think to give the house a quick freshen up before putting it on the market (of course some of this may be circumstantial). But simple measures can add value even just a clean-up of your dirty laundry and dishes can make the world of difference. Prune back the garden, add entrance planters and declutter the rooms to give people a clear view of its potential. All great news for us wanting to buy, but these little updates can really help sell your home and create some curb appeal. It’s the drive-by and that pre-first impression. A whole post in itself!
4. Resale
Even when we were searching for our ‘forever home’ we did still think about its resale. For so many reasons, but mainly because you just never know what life might throw at you (for better or worse). You might need to sell or even want to sell. A lot of our considerations here also pop up elsewhere. Personally, we didn’t want a house that might have any off-putting features. Maybe ask why there’s no competition on a house? Or are we the first people to stumble across an absolute gem? It’s not to say others might not see the beauty in these quirks but it might limit the number attracted to it for a resale. These are the questions we would ask ourselves;
- Is there enough parking for everyone on the street? Is traffic an issue?
- Can you hear a noisy road or trains? Or is the house on a flight path for planes?
- How many neighbouring properties overlook you? What can they see?
- Is there anything like an incinerator nearby? Try to view at different times of the day/week.
- Any design features that might be problematic? For example does it have a thatched or flat roof?
Thanks for reading and I would love to hear in the comments things you would add to your list. I hope ours helps a little and happy home hunting!
Hols x