Selecting Your Family Home

An understanding of your family’s daily activities will help define a "blueprint" of the preferred features to look for in your new property.

Use the following as a guide for discussion:

• Assess what size house you will need and take into account factors such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, garage, kitchen size, family room, and any interests or hobbies;
• Determine the style of home you do or don’t want: e.g. modern, colonial, federation, one that has been renovated or extended with nothing to spend, or one that gives you the scope to decorate as you please;
• Include any other features that would appeal to you: a home office, a pool, an established garden, a level block or views.
  

If you are contemplating a move to a new suburb, spend some time getting to know it.

Check out the following:

• What is the public transport like?
• How is the traffic, especially during peak periods?
• How long will it take you to get to work?
• Does the area cater for your lifestyle, with schools, hospitals, shops, restaurants, parks, sports and other services?

As your home may be your largest financial outlay, you also need to consider the area from an investment point of view, particularly it’s potential re-sale value.

Give your specifications to our agents to avoid wasting valuable time looking at unsuitable properties.

Home offices
If you are setting up a home office, allow at least twice as much space for it as you think you’ll need. The good-sized room you had in mind shrinks alarmingly when you add a computer, printer, scanner, fax, file cabinet, storage cabinet and reference books! If public access is required for your clients you’ll need to consider the impact this will have on your family’s privacy. To ensure a smooth transition for both your family and your business think very carefully about all of these issues.

Assessing a House
When viewing a lot of houses the features from one property to the next start to blur. Make a checklist to help you evaluate and remember each one.

1. Outside
   • Condition of gates, fences, walls, paths, pavers;
   • Garden and outdoor living spaces - how will these fit your lifestyle;
   • Aspect of property, specifically the amount of sun, shade and wind the property receives;
   • Exterior buildings such as garage, toolshed or the like;
   • Condition of swimming pool/spa;
   • External condition of the building, including paintwork, damp, roofing and guttering;
   • Offstreet parking;
   • Proximity to amenities;
   • Noise levels;
   • Check if any adjacent properties are subject to a development application.
   
   
2. Inside
   • Condition of walls and ceilings;
   • State of carpets, floor boards and floor coverings;
   • Insulation and ventilation of property;
   • Level of natural lighting and types of light fittings present;
   • Condition of windows and doors;
   • Living space - imagine how your furniture will fit;
   • Bedroom sizes and built-in robes;
   • Kitchen benches, cupboards and major appliances;
   • Laundry appliances;
   • Size and condition of bathroom and toilet;
   • Home office or attic space.