Today we are heading to a showing in North Bend, Washington! Our clients are still in the exploration stage of finding their dream home and are seeking a property outside the city that has more room and more space. With a long drive ahead of us, we got to thinking of the most important key areas and questions to go over with our clients to make sure the house they choose is the right fit.

1. How long will this be your home?

I encourage all of my clients to think through how long, to a reasonable extent, will they be living in this house. Is this a starter house? A five-year house? A forever home? This makes a huge difference in how you will view all of the different components of a home, so before you seriously look at a property, ask yourself this question.

2. Location, location, location.

If you don’t like the location of a home, you should not even consider it. I’ll often have my clients do a drive-by of a property before going to view it with me. This allows them to get a feel for the neighborhood, the surrounding area, and the neighbors.

3. Consider the layout.

There are a lot of easy things you can change about a home, but one of the more difficult things to change is the layout. This includes everything from removing a wall to moving the entire kitchen to a different side of the house- it’s a bigger project than simply replacing your kitchen countertops. And, it’s a lot more expensive. If you’re looking at a home and you know you’ll have to re-do every room’s layout, this home is probably not the right one for you.

4. Amenities.

Look at what is available for you surrounding the property. Is it close to shopping centers and good schools? Do you like the community and the school district? These are very important factors when choosing where you will live.

5. Cosmetics & finishes.

The last tip includes looking at all of a house’s cosmetic details. This includes the countertops, the cabinets, the wall colors, the floors, the windows, and any other finishes and featured décor inside the home. All of these things are pretty easy to change which is why I encourage people to look at them last. But, they can be the cherry on top if they’re perfect for you and they fit all of the other components of the home (location, layout, amenities).