Aside from location, there are many other factors to consider when buying a home in the Tri Cities. While a home will suit basic family needs such as giving you a place to eat, sleep, park your car, etc., it is also a place where you should feel comfortable, relaxed, and protected. Here are some other issues to consider when looking for a new home in the Tri City communities.
Lot and Landscaping: While real estate value is usually concentrated on the house itself, the surrounding lot and landscaping are important considerations as well. Obviously, it should be as level as possible, assuming the property is in a typical neighborhood and the home ideally should be located to the center of the neighborhood as possible. You generally do not want your property to be adjacent to a busy street.
Swimming Pools: Swimming pools don’t provide as much of an added value as they once did. Aside from the safety issues, swimming pools often cut into the size of the backyard area. While pools are certainly desirable, having a pool may actually reduce the number of potential homebuyers if you try to resell the home sometime in the future. So if you are going to purchase a home because of its pool, do so for your own enjoyment and not because you think it will embellish your investment.
House Size: In almost every neighborhood, houses vary in size and the number of rooms. When searching for a home in a neighborhood, try and find consistency in house size, but make sure they all don’t look exactly alike. If future resale value is an important consideration for you, you may want to consider avoiding the largest model in the neighborhood because of how this might affect your overall appraisal and comparative value. Conversely, if you buy a small or medium house in a neighborhood of larger homes, this can help pull up your overall value.
Bedrooms and Bathrooms: Three and four bedroom houses are primarily the most popular among homebuyers because many are buying homes for an established or growing family. Depending on your own specific needs and desires, try to stick with this range so that you will have more potential buyers when it comes time to resell. There should also be at least two bathrooms in a house, preferably more. One-bath homes can seem a bit too confined and often lose more of the privacy appeal.
Kitchen and Dining: Never underestimate the power and value of the kitchen! Most family activity actually takes place around the kitchen – even more so than the family room – so it is often perceived as the most important room in the house. Larger kitchens are better, especially if they provide modern appliances and conveniences. Obviously, the dining room and eat-in kitchen area (if applicable) should be easily accessible from the kitchen. Think convenience as you look for a home…not just for you and your family but for future buyers as well.
When you want to start the homebuying process for yourself, please give our Agents at Distinctive Properties, Inc., in Kennewick a call! We’ll be more than happy to assist you on each step of the way. Call (509) 783-1431 for more information about buying a home or land in the Kennewick, Pasco, Richland, West Richland, Burbank, Benton City and surrounding areas. You Know Us, We Know Real Estate!