Buying a House: The Most Important Factors

When you are on the hunt for a house to buy, there are many factors – beyond your own tastes – that will ultimately end up influencing your decision. Many of these you cannot plan for in the abstract. They just depend on too many things, like where you are buying the house, what the conditions of the local market are, what the conditions of the national market are, the expertise of your realtor, and so on. CityHome Collective, a real estate brokerage out of Salt Lake City offering Utah homes for sale, advises that you seek expert advice when reckoning up all these additional factors. Nevertheless, there are some age-old ones to consider too.

Your Priorities

Many of the essential factors to think about when buying a house (in any market, in any place) depend on what your priorities are. There are a few common denominators – determined by consumer choices – that in turn allow us to set out what is crucial to an average buyer when appraising a house. So much so, in fact, that these are nearly always included as essential information on any property listing.

These factors are commonly valued by all buyers; however, sometimes the order of importance can vary. See below for a run-down of each of the most important factors but bear in mind that you should set out what’s most important to you with your realtor before viewing any properties. 

The Big Factors When Buying a House

Here follows then the most important factors to consider when buying a house:

The Lot Size

Unlike apartments, the size of the lot (the land on which the house sits) is usually given instead of measurements of floor space. Very often, you’ll hear this being described by realtors in terms of acres. Most buyers do not have a head for these types of measurements, so it’s vital to consider what space you will need. Factor in the garden and then the fact that there will be a second floor, before finding out what that corresponds to in lot space. Armed with this figure, you can start your hunt.

The Location

It goes without saying that location is a massive deciding factor. Therefore, there isn’t much to say about this one besides that you should be sure to compare areas within a single local market, as widening the scope anymore can make comparisons meaningless. Local market knowledge is key.

The Number of Bedrooms

This factor is no less important for being, perhaps, the simplest. The number of bedrooms is rarely a factor that is up for debate. People tend to look at their family size, equate that to bedrooms, and then only browse properties that have enough.

The Number of Bathrooms

The number of bathrooms is also usually a factor that is pretty much decided well in advance, but there is usually more wiggle room here than with bedrooms. There are also complicating factors such as what size of bathroom and what fittings are required in each one.

The Kitchen

The kitchen is always the most modern part of the house, and it can vary a lot. The value added by a kitchen depends upon factors like what appliances are included, whether it is a dining room too, and its whole design and aesthetic. It is hard to decide upon kitchen requirements right at the outset, and so the advice of a realtor as well as property market data are particularly useful when considering this point.

These five factors are all about deciding what you want, what you will compromise on, and what you will not. It is important to get that straight before looking for a house.