Moumita Dash

10 Things To Know Before Buying A House -By Moumita Chanda “It is a comfortable feeling to know that you stand on your own ground. Land is about the only thing that can’t fly away.” ~ Anthony Trollope Buying your own house is a dream that’s sure to give you sleepless nights. It is a great feeling to have a house in the city that you can call your own. After all, you look forward to spending the rest of your life here. Don’t you? Not that your parental home doesn’t count but then, there are so many things to consider as you plan to settle down. It isn’t just your work location; it could be the matter of your better half too, not to forget your child’s education and so much more. Buying a house isn’t just a dream, it’s possibly one of the biggest investments one makes in his lifetime. Hence, it is important to understand the nuances of making the most out of your money. After all, the place you live in, says a lot about it. Once you’ve made up your mind at this being the right time to take that much-awaited plunge, here are a few things you must understand so that there doesn’t remain a thing to regret tomorrow. 1. Real estate agents are crafty Agents are probably the biggest hurdle for the best decision making. Even if there’s nothing good about that house, they’ll make sure you find it the best. Yes, that’s how good they are at playing with words. Unfortunately, one can seldom avoid them while scouting through the city for the best deal. The only solution here is to avoid being gullible. Better still, take someone along who’s been there, done that. Being outright and sure of your ideas is the key to a good decision. 2. Take a walk around the locality One often goes by the word of mouth while deciding upon the locality to buy a house. Often they’re helpful, especially if you’ve a little knowledge of the city or town. But then, what works for them, might not for you. Therefore, rather than just listening to your agent’s praises for the locality, try referring Google or simply take a stroll down the area. 3. Feel free to cross check everything Every time you visit a prospective property, various factors might take over the genuineness of the construction work. Among other things, its equally essential to check for the wall if they are hollow or the quality of material used overall. Although its not something everyone’s good at, its always advisable to ask for details of the construction. Another great idea would be taking a professional along with you, e.g.., a civil engineer, an architect, etc. After all, quality of the construction of your abode-to-be isn’t something one can afford to be complacent about. 4. Connectivity to the rest of the city/town A lot of lavish residential complexes are constructed on the outskirts of the cities, thanks to the growing population in the country. While there are many positives and eye-catchy factors that might supersede the rest of your senses, it is important to understand that the daily life isn’t just about aesthetic lake-views , clubhouses or even a swimming pool. Nobody has ever thought of a swim session after a hectic day at work followed by hours of travel back home. Here are a few questions you might want to ask the owner/agent: -How far are schools and colleges from this place? -What are the shopping options available in the vicinity? -How much is the distance to the nearest stand/railway station? -Is the highway close-by? -What about water supply? -Who’s the electricity provider of this area/region? In the end, make sure daily life doesn’t end up being a tough bet. 5. Good research on the financial options at hand This one’s particularly crucial for those who’re planning to go for home loans, etc. Most of the banks have ‘n’ no. of promotional for their loan vertical. To add to the crisis, there are too many shrewd sales guys out there. Hence, it is very essential to do an in-depth research of each of the options available related to the policies, terms, conditions of repayment and most importantly, market review of the financial institution. Apart from word of mouth from friends and families, a great way to review and understand is to refer websites like www.bankbazaar.com , www.apnapaisa.com, www.deal4loans.com , www.paisabazaar.com , www.myloancare.com . 6. Do not forget the forthcoming expenses While deciding on the budget or investing in your home, make sure that enough funds are kept aside for the purpose of furnishing, etc. While buying a new house is a different level of excitement altogether, making a home out of it is equally essential. Nobody likes to stare at whitewashed walls and a vacant hallway for months. Therefore, plan your budget in a way that it also accommodates things like painting, electrical set-up, furniture, etc. No matter how trivial the expenses look initially, once you begin, they can really suck in all the money. 7. Authenticity of the documents Being cheated by the builder/ agents while buying properties don’t even make it to the news headlines anymore. Yes, they’re that common these days. The world of real-estate isn’t the best place to be, after all. Although every buyer tries their best to play safe, its always better to get your own legal adviser to cross check all the documents during the ‘handover of ownership’. 8. A third opinion always helps Now that you’ve found your dream house and the better half is equally excited about it, think again. It is only human to overlook the negatives when something appeals the eyes. In that case, its always a good idea to tag along someone who hasn’t visited the property yet. More so because they’d be open to the ‘plus’ and ‘minus’ too. You never know if you’ve ignored that one big thing that could be crucial to a great living. After all, what else are friends for!! 9. Consider a home insurance Always get a home insurance done at the earliest. There are many policies and institutions in the market that you may refer to. In case you suffer from a laid-back attitude when it comes to insuring your dream house, there are every chances you’d end up regretting. Insuring lives financially doesn’t mean a thing if the shelter is in question tomorrow. Isn’t it? 10. Most importantly, DO NOT RUSH Buying a dream home is one of the biggest decisions of one’s life and a huge investment too. No matter how much your agent rushes you to finalize a deal, never fall into the ‘rush-trap’. Luring people with catchy brochures, push you with dates are tricks played on innocent buyers, especially the first-timers. Keep your calm and understand the fact that this isn’t the last property on earth, or in the city for that matter.