Shopping for a home? During this time of financial uncertainties I find that even those people who are doing the shopping is somewhat surprised that they are looking. But at the same time you have to live somewhere, and the one bedroom rental you are living in now is hardly a great place to raise kids!
Buying a home is probably one of the largest decisions you will make in your life. It is likely the most expensive and longest commitment you will ever make, short of death and marriage that is. So, what should you look for? Unlike buying a car or a flat screen TV, there are no 3rd party test drive reports or side by side comparison test of the home you are interested in. And last time I checked, there isn’t a consumer report home shopping guide either. Having helped a few friends with their search I found that most of the information and advices available on the web has more to do with the financial aspect of home purchase and not so much about the house itself.
A modern home is a complex machine with hundreds of parts. From the mechanical heating and cooling system to the external thermal envelope designed to keep a home properly insulated. Each part is crucial to the optimal function of the whole house, and if any one part were to fail, it will also likely impact other systems. A small leak in your roof can cause moisture accumulation in your wall and fungal growth and unhealthy condition for your family, all without you noticing any obvious signs of problem.
As an Architect I always love the opportunities to teach people more about the things that make a home a worthy investment and this post will the first in a multi-part series of posts on my recommendation of what to look for in a home.
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