How to get your head behind your heart when buying
You’ve found a property you love that feels right. The kids have chosen their bedrooms, and your partner is researching paint swatches. But you’re conscious that you’re running on pure emotion and given the price tag, it makes sense to cover all the angles.
Here are some tips to put some logic behind your decision to buy.
Visit the property at different times of the day
Saturdays may be quiet, but what happens to the street on normal weekdays at peak hour? Is it quieter or busier and does this impact on your feelings about the property? Also consider the property now in terms of heat and light at different times of the day. Is the property going to be blasted by afternoon sun? Or plunged into darkness? These things are all subjective so it’s really a case of considering them and crossing them off your list.
Do a thorough inspection
Until now, your inspections have probably been focused on oohing and ahing over the aspects that appealed. Now’s the time to go back over the property in detail. Open all the cupboards, turn the stove on and off. Run the hot water. Check the wifi. Make a note of the electrical sockets. Ask for details about the appliances. Get a building inspection report and really understand the condition of the property you are buying, and whether additional money will need to be spent.
Double check the inclusions
If you’ve already got a copy of the contract, you were probably focused on the price and settlement terms. Now is the time to go through the inclusions in detail, reinspect the property (again!) and check how valuable those inclusions are to you. Do you care that the curtains are going to be removed? Is there anything on the list that is unexpected? Are there any parts of the property that are bespoke that you’d like to see included?
Spend time in the neighbourhood
If you’re moving to a completely new area, spend some time in the hood. Visit on a weekend and separately during the week to get a feel for the shopping, parking, transport and local amenities. Visit council and find out the local services that are on offer and do lots of people watching. It might also pay to do a test run of getting the kids to school, and yourself off to work to find out what the commutes will really be like.