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Buying a Sarasota home is a task that can seem overwhelming and intimidating but it's one that should be handled with the utmost care and preparation. Before you comparison shop for a new home in the competitive Sarasota real estate market, there are some simple questions you ought to ask and then promptly find specific answers to. By analyzing you and your family's personal wants, needs, and financial situation, you will find that buying a Sarasota home becomes a lot easier and you will be armed with a refreshing focus on your navigation of the Sarasota real estate market sand will be equipped to compare the many different Sarasota homes out there!
So what are these questions? Most Realtors and mortgage advisors will tell their clients to run down the following list of questions in order to prepare for buying a home. It will not only help them determine what kind of home they want, but what kind of home they can ultimately afford. To make the Sarasota real estate market smaller and thus easier to navigate, you must have a clear idea of what you're looking for. And considering how many different Sarasota homes there are to choose from, you will want to narrow down the list as much as possible -- and after you answer this question, that´s exactly what you will be able to do!
1. What's the backyard like?
To top it off, begin by thinking "outside the house." If you have pets and/or children (or plan on having either), it's especially important to find out if the backyard is safe and not to mention -- sizable!
Similarly, if you have lawn furniture and/or gardening equipment, etc, make sure to check to see how much storage for these items the backyard offers. Do you want a deck? Is there room for a playpen? For those who enjoy the outdoors, which is not atypical of someone looking for a Sarasota home, the backyard ought to be a very important feature when considering what home to buy. Sarasota homes usually boast generous backyards, as Florida boasts great weather, so take advantage of it.
2. What's beyond the backyard?
Find out if there are swimming pools, parks, or walking trails near by, especially if you have children. If there are safe places for you to exercise and for your children to play that are located right down the block, this is a major advantage. Similarly, you may want to live near other facilities like a fitness center.
3. Where's the garage located?
This is something folks commonly overlook when they look for a new home. Opening and closing a garage is not a quiet undertaking, and if there are bedrooms right next to the garage, this can mean members of your family could find themselves waking up in the middle of the night. Find out how close your garage is to other rooms in the house, and if it's right next to the baby's room, keep this in mind. Similarly, think of other noisy appliances -- like the washer and dryer. If they're located near a bedroom, they may disturb sleepers.
4. Are the homeowner association's rules strict?
Whenever you buy a new home, there will guidelines you are required to follow. If you are looking to install a swing set or a basketball hoop or if you need extra room for more than a few cars to be parked, you'll want to pay special attention to these rules. Sarasota homes vary a great deal in the rules they come with, from neighborhood to neighborhood.
5. Are you isolated?
What seems like your dream home can suddenly become less appealing if you are forced to make long road trips and use up valuable gas just to do routine errands, like cashing a check, shopping for groceries, or picking up your children from school. Think about the places you go regularly -- the grocery store, the post office, the park, the bank, the gas station, and perhaps the local school. Think about where you work as well. If these places are nearby, the home should definitely jump up in desirability. It might be better to buy a home that's close to the local shopping center even if it sports a smaller kitchen than a home that's isolated in a more rural area. The Sarasota real estate market may seem more competitive in some areas, but be suspicious of the best deals ? as there may be disadvantages (like location).
6. How's the Internet connection?
In this day and age, a strong connection to the Internet is practically a requirement for anybody who wants to engage in work and play with any sort of ease. Check to see how Internet access is in the area and what rooms in the house promise a strong or weak connection. If in the home office, the connection is weak, then that's a serious con. s
It's easy to forget about such seemingly trivial details of your new home, but they will make a big difference to you in the long-run and have a direct effect on the quality of your life. There are many things you will notice immediately about your new home -- the size of the master suite perhaps -- but sometimes it's the smaller things, which are not under your radar, that will have the most significant effect on you and your family. So ask these questions ahead of time and you can avoid any and all surprises when buying your home! Edited 11/2006 |