Whether you are building or buying a new home, it’s important to do as much research as you can to ensure you make the right decision. Choosing a new home for you and your family is not a decision to be taken lightly. It’s important that you do everything that you can so that you find an appropriate property that you will be happy in. Think not only of what you need from the property now but also how you the home can grow and adapt with you in time as the needs of your family change going forward.
Major cities like Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney have display homes for new homebuyers to visit, which are a fantastic way to seek out some inspiration and get first-hand information about the build before you make any decisions. With that said, visiting display villages can be daunting if you don’t know what to look for. With so many different designs, layouts and styles to choose from, it’s sensible to have a list of certain things to pay attention to as you visit the different properties.
Let’s take a look at just a few things you need to consider when viewing display homes.
The Plan
With each display home you visit, you need to consider the overall plan and layout of the home. Think about how you and your family will use the space and look at the property in a practical way. Is there enough room for you and the kids t have a movie night in the living room? Can you comfortably host a dinner party in the dining room? Is the garage big enough to store your gardening tools and outdoor gear? Be practical and think about how you will actually use the space. Imagine you and your family living there and make sure the space meets as many of your requirements as possible before considering it as a genuine contender.
Choose Substance Over Style
Display homes are presented in such a way to make them as attractive as possible to potential buyers. While the homes you view might look pretty and have all of the right soft furnishings and finishing touches, it’s important that you try to look past these and focus on the quality of the construction. A good place to start is by looking closely at the doors and windows to check that they are level. As you walk through the home keep an eye out for gaps in the walls, flooring, doors, windows and between fixtures as these can be a clear sign of poor construction. Look carefully at any appliances and fixtures in the house and take note of the brands and/or models used to check that they are adding value to the property and will hold up over time.
Consider Your Location
It’s important to keep in mind that the display house you are viewing is not the home that you will be buying. While the display home will look its best and likely be optimally positioned for sunlight and the views from the home, this may not be the case at the site where you will be building. Try to imagine the house you are in on your site, orientated with the front of the house to the street as it will need to be positioned. Will there be excessive noise from your street? Can you be sure that the sunlight will reach the right areas of your home? Is there enough space left on your site for parking and a garden? Be sure to think these things through and you will know very quickly if this is the right home for you or not.
Trust Your Instincts
When you have finished viewing a number of homes, considered the floorplan, checked the quality of the build and weighed up the suitability of the home for your site, you will need to make a decision. It’s a big decision to make but trust your instincts and think about how you felt in each of the display homes you visited. Sometimes it can be a matter of the house feeling like a home and if you can capture that feeling, you may very well have found your new home without realising it yet.
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