Ahhhh, you’ve finally found your dream home. Right?
Before you commit to buying, make sure you consider whether some of your favorite features might actually hold back your house when (way down the line) it comes time to sell. Some design and architectural details—such as pools and multiple stories—split homeowners evenly, with half considering them a no-go and the other half completely obsessed.
So be informed! While these features won’t necessarily be the main factors determining whether or not you sign on the dotted (home-purchase) line, it’s best to know exactly what you’re getting into. Here’s what to look for in your future home.
If you have young kids, living next door to their school might seem like a dream come true. Who wouldn’t love letting their children walk a mere block or two to school every day?
But buyers without school-age children won’t see it that way.
With schools come endless lines of cars and yellow buses—as well as a tempered speed limit that might make getting to work each morning a monumental pain. Oh, and all that joyful, exuberant noise from the playground? Not so joyful when you’re working or relaxing at home.
“Having your kid walk across the street to school might be an awesome thing for particular buyers,” says Bob Ripp, a real estate appraiser in Fort Collins, CO. “Then again, the traffic implications might not be something that appeals to everyone.”
Some people love to look out their windows and see the world going by: restaurants and bars within walking distance, your favorite vintage shop just three doors down, and easy access to major thoroughfares.
But think again before buying. Unless your city veers strongly urban, it might be difficult later to sell the home. Not everyone wants to live directly adjacent to a busy street.
