Home shopping tips

SENIOR SCENE: First Choice Realty

When shopping for a new home, keep in mind these suggestions:

The tape measure is your friend

Want to know the most common question buyers have when looking for a new home? Where will we put our 60/70/80-inch television? And it's not only televisions that have grown, sectional sofas with six cupholders and two built-in recliners are also very popular these days so bring measurements of your furniture along with a tape measure. But don't stop with living room furnishings, make sure your dining room table with two leaves and 10 chairs allows your guests to push back their chairs without bashing into walls, or that the master bedroom accommodates your California king-size bed, nightstands and eight-drawer dresser.

Camouflage and cover-ups

Just like the smell of freshly baked cookies creates a warm fuzzy feeling, gauzy window coverings and soft music can make a home appear positively dreamy. But don't forget, they can also serve as camouflage so investigate everything. Draw back the curtains and look outside, open closet and cabinet doors. Be a snoop and ask questions -- How do I get into the attic and crawl space, where does that door lead, what happens to the water pressure when I flush the toilet while the shower is running?

Scrapbooking anyone?

When viewing homes you may see rooms with well-organized shelving and craft tables, or a basement devoted to a few tons of exercise equipment. Unless you're planning to seriously take up scrapbooking, or bulking up, then find a home that fits your lifestyle and needs. Make a list of the activities you actually do in your current home, or want to do in your new one, then pay attention to whether a prospective property has room for your hobbies and collections.

Caveat emptor!

Remember, you're not just buying a house, you're investing in the whole street so check out the problems you could inherit. Look for neglected homes with overgrown lawns, barking dogs lunging at you from the neighbor's backyard, or front yards used as car lots. If you're viewing during an open house, take into account that most open houses are held on a relatively calm day when traffic is light and noise is low. To get the real scoop, make sure to visit the house at different times of day and on different days of the week to determine the traffic and noise levels. You also want to make a point of showing up at the hours you'll normally be coming and going to see how easy it is to get in and out of the driveway when traffic is at its peak.

For answers to all your real estate questions, contact Leslie Ramsey with Hot Springs 1st Choice Realty at 501-620-3909 or email her at [email protected].

Tabloids on 05/26/2020

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