A Checklist For You and Your Las Vegas Real Estate Agent
BUYING A LAS VEGAS HOME
Before you even begin to search for your new Las Vegas Home, you and your family should prepare a checklist of wants and needs, a list that will analyze exactly what those absolute needs are, as opposed to your wants, such as a spare bedroom or home office, which would be nice but not absolutely necessary.
A list that is realistic, in accord with market conditions, and leaves room for compromise will help you to focus on the specifics of what your needs really are in a home, neighborhood, etc., and is helpful to your agent, who will know what to focus on as well.
A helpful list of needs and wants, emphasizing the importance of needs first, would consider the following, arranging individual needs and choices in order of most importance to you. For example:
- Where in town do you prefer to live?
- Older home (over five years) newer, or new construction?
- How much house can you afford? What price range?
- Have you been pre-approved by a lender?
- Convenience of location: short commute, or close to public transportation, nearby to shopping, schools, etc. Which of those choices are the most important?
- Neighborhood demographics: nicely kept homes on a quiet street, property located on a cul de sac, or corner lot, crime stats, quality of school district. Good schools add quality to a neighborhood and should be an important consideration.
- Number of bedrooms, baths required
- Single or two story construction. If anyone has a problem with climbing stairs, a one story is obviously the best choice.
- Consider a short sale or foreclosure property if it is only one of very few in the neighborhood?
- Have a professional home inspector check for problems and evaluate cost of repair.
- Would you prefer to pay a little more for a house in perfect condition, or would you rather buy a house that is in need of some repair in order to pay less for the home?
- How much renovation are you willing to do? Are you handy with tools and will be doing much of the repairs yourself, or would you need a contactor? Contactor fees would add to the costs which would impact your home buying budgetary expenses.
- Before making a commitment on a particular piece of property, Investigate the noise factor and other aspects of the neighborhood for conditions that may or may not be a source of discomfort or annoyance by driving through the area at different times of the day and evening, during the week and on a weekend.
- Large yard for the weekend gardener, romping room for the family dog, etc., or smaller yard for less maintenance.
- Pool
- Patio Deck
- Two or three car garage
- View
- If the community is governed by a Home Owners Association (HOA) find out if the rules and regulations are compatible with your lifestyle and freedom of choice
- Gated community with entry password security system, or gated with 24/7 on duty security guards
Let your Las Vegas Real Estate Agent know of any other special features or needs that your family may require.