Home hunting should be an enjoyable process, yet for many it turns into an arduous task. To make the process more fruitful and a lot less stressful you should make sure you start any home hunting adventure with the right tools. Here are 5 things you should make sure you take with you the next time you are home hunting.
Home Hunting 101: 5 tools to help the day go well!
- Put together (and take with you!) a needs/wants checklist. This is a handy way to measure how each property you look at stacks up to your requirements. A checklist will also help keep you focused and your decision-making based on your needs rather than your emotions.
- Pack a pen and some extra paper (or whatever electronic device you use instead!). You’ll undoubtedly want to take some notes – what you saw that you liked, what would have to change, any concerns you had, questions you’d like to ask – about each of the homes you visit.
- A camera. When you’re visiting multiple homes in the same trips, houses tend to blur together after a while. Taking pictures of their exteriors and surrounding will help you to remember each property. Just remember to be respectful of sellers’ privacy about interior photos.
- A tape measure is ALWAYS a good idea! You might not need this on your first round of home hunting, but once you’ve narrowed your search to serious contenders, you’re probably going to want to know if (or if not!) your furniture fits the space.
- Energy-boosting snacks. It’s easy to run out of steam when viewing several homes in a day. Couple this with the fact that it is often hard to focus when you’re hungry and you’re in for a dismal adventure! You don’t need to pack a full meal but throwing some granola, dried fruit, nuts or whatever you prefer into a snack pack for the trip is an excellent idea!