What To Look for When Buying a Display Home

When you’re first starting out, it can be a little intimidating shopping around for your first house. However, with the right amount of research and a little bit of patience, buying your first home is easier than you think. From reading as many real estate articles as we could find on Reddit and Google to asking our trusted real estate agents, here are some helpful real estate tips to keep in mind when shopping for your first model house.

Decide What Type of Home is Right for You

Before you start looking at all of the houses on the market, you should decide what type of home you want. Is it a starter home? A vacation home? A retirement home? Just remember that when you’re first starting out and don’t have a family of your own yet, you’re going to need a lot less space than most people. If you’re just starting out, you may want to look into display homes, especially if you have a long commute to work. This way you can get a feel for the neighborhood and the neighborhoods surrounding your work route. You can also see if you like the surrounding homes and what your neighbors look like before you move in.

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What To Look for When Buying Display Homes

• Square Footage – This is the most important thing that you need to look for in a model house because it will tell you how much living space you’re getting.
• Standing Sockets – These tell you how many rooms the house has and how big those rooms are. This is important because you don’t want to be in a house with an extra room that you don’t use.
• Area – This is important because you don’t want to buy a house in a bad neighborhood.
• Lot Size – This is important because you don’t want to buy a house that’s too large for your family.
• Condition – This is important because you don’t want to buy a house that’s in bad condition.
• Price – This is important because you want to buy a house that’s affordable.

Walk the Lot and Look Up

Before you start driving around town, take the time to look at the lots of the houses you’re interested in. This will help you get a feel for the sizes and shapes of the lots and will also give you an idea of the exact square footage of the model home you’re looking at. Get a good idea of the square footage of the model home you’re interested in by looking at the lot next to it. If you can’t get a good idea of the lot because of the fence, consider asking the real estate agent if they can take you out to the lot.

Ask for the Paperwork You Need

In most states, you’ll need a notarized letter of intent before you can sign a contract on the house. If you don’t ask for this letter, the seller may not provide it, and then you may not be able to sign the contract.

Negotiate With the Seller

Keep in mind that the seller is probably trying to get rid of the house as quickly as possible, so don’t be afraid to negotiate. Even if the seller is trying to get as much money as possible from you, they’re probably just trying to get the deal done. We’ve found that asking the seller for a lower price for the house and for other perks, like a home warranty, can often get you a lower purchase price and a better deal. If you have to, start low and negotiate up. This can be a little nerve-wracking, but it’s a good way to get a lower purchase price.