Buying a house can be both exciting and scary. Whether it’s your first home or your fourth, there are some questions that you should definitely consider as you start looking. Lifehacker asked people a while ago what they were glad they asked when they bought a house. Here are some that truly can make the difference between a for-now house and a forever home:
- What is the neighbourhood really like? Have you been there at different times of day, and on different days of the week?
- How accessible is the house by public transit if that matters to you? Are there places to walk to, such as parks, shops or restaurants?
- Is the city investing in infrastructure? How recently was the street or neighbouring streets paved, or the pipes done?
- What are the neighbours like?
- If you have children, what are the schools like?
- Is the house on or very close to a busy street? What will it be like backing out of your driveway?
- How much will utilities cost? Will it be prohibitively expensive to heat your house in winter or cool it in summer?
- What kind of cable or internet are you able to get?
Asking the right questions can save you time and, most importantly, stress down the road. You may need to move in the near future, but make it because of something else in your life and not because you don’t want your kid taking the bus to school.
