House Hunting!

[Sevens]

I am so excited! My husband and I pre-qualified for a home loan on Tuesday, so now we are looking for a house!

We are looking at two properties in an "up and coming" neighborhood not too far from our current apartment. The houses were built between 1916 and 1935. The nice thing is that there is a couple from the dog park that live one to two streets over from the two houses we are going to look at tomorrow. This is the same couple we got Guinness from last year. We went over to see them tonite and we walked over to look at the houses and the neighborhood. Both houses look awesome actually.

I know we should probably look at a ton of houses, but I would really like either of these (depending on interiors and outcome of inspections of course). Nice bonus, both have big backyards and strong 6 foot wood privacy fences. The doggies would have so much room to play.

Anyway, I was hoping that any of the homeowners on the board could give me some advice about homebuying or maybe could relate their own situations buying their first house.

Hope everyone has a great night!

[2kitties]

oooh, i love older homes- they have so much character that you just can't find in newer ones! Congrats!
advice? well, none really. Just don't feel like you have to see a thousand. If you find what you love, then you're home.

[lovemyshiba]

I agree with 2kitties--if you find something you love, and you can afford it--go for it!!
Ours was a new construction when we bought it last year, and I would have preferred somehting a bit older--but the deal was right!!
One thing about new homes--everything's a surprise. There is no one who has lived there previously who can give you any tips about the house. A few of our surprises were, expensive heating, flooding basement, some shotty construction, and a few things the builder just didn't do right.

Obviously you'll be having an inspection, so that will be good--one thing-make sure your home inspector is only that, and not a contractor who can do home inspectors--he may pass things for future work!!!

Finding one with the yard already fenced in will be nice too--you can let the dogs out to play the day you move in!!!!

Please let me know if you have any specific questions. It will be a year in April since we bought our house, so some things are still fresh in my mind!!!

Congrats and have fun!!:)