What to look for when buying a house, a daunting experience especially when you’re a first-time home buyers.
- HIDDEN DEFECTS: First impressions are lasting ones. A seller is going to do their utmost to make a memorable impact to attract the best offer. Look for little defects that might have been disguised by a fresh coat of paint.
- BEYOND THE CLUTTER: People have different ideas about décor. Look beyond the clutter, colors, cupboards and carpets that might not be your liking and be open to hidden potential.
- INVESTIGATE THE AREA: Get a feel for the neighborhood, day and night, and check on security with the local police station. If you’re buying anything but a freestanding home, high noise levels and bad views should be a deterrent.
- PRICE RIGHT: Not too high and not too low – do your research into selling prices for the area so that you have a better chance of having your offer accepted. South Africa’s leading home loan (Ooba home-loans) comparison service offers a range of home loan calculators to help you establish what you can afford.
- USE A HOME LOAN COMPARISON SERVICE: Work out what you can afford to pay on a bond and get the best deal from a bank by using a home loan comparison service. If you can get prequalified for a home loan, all the better. That way you know your credit score, and what you can realistically afford, before you put in an offer on a home.
- SOLAR PANELS: Solar panels are a hefty upfront investment, so buying a house with them already installed is a bonus for those buyers seeking an efficient home capable of generating its own energy. If the panels are new technology, show significant savings and are aesthetically acceptable, they may very well boost the value of a property.
- FIBRE-OPTIC CABLE: Driven by the rising demand for higher bandwidth and faster-speed connections, fiber-optic transmission is becoming more and more common in modern homes – but it’s still worth enquiring after it when considering a new home as not all suburbs in South Africa are yet fitted with the technology.
