5 Things to Look for When Buying a Home

Shopping for a new house often comes with completing a checklist of amenities that suit your needs. Perhaps you are seeking more space for a growing family, a larger backyard, or simply a fresh start. This is an exciting time, but it's important to ensure your dream home doesn't come with stack of issues and repairs. Consider these 5 things to look for when buying a home to avoid a risk.

Damaged Roof

The first thing you should notice when looking at any home is the age and condition of the roof. When working with a trusted realtor, your agent should be able to guide you in the history and quality of the roof. When doing a visual check, be on the lookout for missing shingles, rusted flashing, moss, and any other spots that look concerning. A damaged roof puts your home at severe risk and could potentially damage in the interior and exterior.

Water Damage

Water damage is an expensive repair within a house. When touring potential homes to buy, keep your eyes open for signs of water damage. This includes:

• Check under sinks in kitchen and bathrooms while running all faucets.
• Check the basement or crawl space to see if there is a sump pump.
• Check the lawn for slopes, standing water, or water marks on the foundation.

Heating and Cooling

Having an air conditioner and heating system that works properly is important for your family. Ask questions, such as the age of the system, turn it on and off while listening to how it runs, and double check the filters. When walking outside, look for rust and dirt on the heating and cooling equipment. Although an inspector will test the appliances, it still doesn't hurt to see for yourself.

Foundation Faults

The foundation is the most important part of a house. When browsing homes, be sure to check for foundation faults by walking around the exterior, the crawlspace, or basement. A few signs of foundation damage includes:

• Cracks within the walls
• Uneven floors
• Rotten wood
• Tile cracks
• Doors out of square
• And more

Working Appliances and Electrical Outlets

Don't let cosmetic repairs distract you from other issues, especially in a kitchen with fresh paint and backsplash. Turn on all the appliances to confirm they properly work, run the dishwasher, and peek into the fridge. Checking appliances and electrical outlets gives you a piece of mind, and you can never be too cautious!

Choice Properties understands your needs and desires when it comes to the home search. We are here to help you define what you want, seek the best property and move forward feeling educated and able to make good decisions throughout the process. You can trust us to help you navigate it with the best real estate agents working for you. Call us to get started on your dream home search today.

Costly Mistakes to Avoid After Buying Your First Home

Buying your first home is a rewarding accomplishment in life. To officially call yourself a homeowner and knowing your hard work paid off is a memory that will last forever. Although you should feel prepared to avoid pitfalls, it never hurts to research common problems almost all new homeowners experience. The last thing you should be worrying about is not being prepared for the unexpected. We have curated a list of costly mistakes to avoid after buying your first home to help your process be smooth and memorable.

Investing in Multiple Expensive Home Improvements

Updating your home consists of fun projects worth planning, but don't let the eagerness make you invest in too many home improvements at once. Tackling one project at a time will keep your budget in line and ensure a well completed renovation. If you are debating between which home improvements to start, consider speaking with a trusted real estate agent to discover which options add more value to your home. Adding value to a home is a great option when planning for long-term goals.

Ignoring Maintenance Issues

Moving into a new home comes with the chance of having to deal with any surprises, from a leaking sink to water damage. Tackling these small maintenance issues in the beginning will prevent you from spending extra money down the road, as the issue only progress in time.

Selecting The Cheapest Options

The saying "quality over quantity" goes hand-in-hand in renovation, even though quality may come with a price. Whether it is the flooring you choose or the contractor who installs, avoid making a poor mistake only for the fraction of the cost. When searching for contractors to assist in home renovations, be sure research previous work and read testimonials from clients in the past. The price you pay will show within the materials.

Performing a DIY on Complicated Projects

Do it yourself projects are fun and shows off your hard work! However, don't get too wrapped up in a project you can't handle or finish yourself. Painting your walls and hanging art are great tasks to complete yourself. When it comes to electrical issues or plumbing, it's best to leave those for the pros. Hiring a professional will not only save time and money, but will ensure a completed project performed the right way.

Calling yourself a homeowner is exciting and should come with a proud feeling! It's important to keep in mind the responsibilities that come with homeownership, from small maintenance issues to big renovations. Be prepared when tackling sudden leaks or water damage to keep your home value rising.

Choice Properties understands your needs and desires when it comes to the home search. We are here to help you define what you want, seek the best property and move forward feeling educated and able to make good decisions throughout the process. You can trust us to help you navigate it with the best real estate agents working for you. Call us to get started on your dream home search today.

Questions to Ask Your Indian Lake Ohio Real Estate Agent

You have a great home in Indian Lake that you're looking to sell. Your logical first step if you want to be successful is to speak with an Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent. What do you ask them? Most sellers don't go beyond asking how much will they get for the property, and what the commission will be. That should only be the first of many questions you should be asking any real estate agent, before you choose to list your property with them. Here are some questions to get you started.

Experience

This may seem like an obvious initial question, but surprisingly a lot of sellers don't ask agents about their experience in the market. When you first start talking to an Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent, go ahead and ask them how long they've been in the business, how many listings they typically handle. Selling your home in Indian Lake is an important and expensive transaction, so you should find an agent with enough sales under their belt to comfortably handle your needs. Choice Properties real estate agents are award-winning pros that have been in the Indian Lake market for years.

Marketing

Any agent you pick should come up with a marketing plan for your listing. Homes don't sell themselves, they need to be marketed. Ask your agent what their philosophy is for selling, and what steps will they take once they've accepted your listing. Don't be shy to ask about their previous marketing campaigns. Do they work with a professional photographer to take quality photos? How about a virtual tour? These things are increasingly important when buyers shop around.

Both Sides Of The Transaction

Some agents work with both the buyer and the seller, and others will rep either the buyer or the seller but not both. You can find out what the agent prefers, and what would happen if they repped both sides of the transaction. It's not always a conflict of interest, but clients can end up feeling like they don't know whose interest the agent is really looking out for.  Ask questions and be honest so that you develop a trustworthy relationship with your real estate agent.

Home Loans

Does your Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent have a good grasp of home financing issues? A buyer will likely need a loan and any issues that arise from the process of seeking financing can make or break a transaction. A good agent might be able to salvage the deal if issues pop up at the last minute.

At the end of the day, most sellers hire an agent on their gut feeling. And of course it's important for you to feel comfortable with your Indian Lake Ohio real estate agent. Taking the approach of treating your first meeting with them as an initial interview and asking all of these questions will help you reach the right decision on who to pick.

For more information about our award winning real estate agents at Choice Properties, give us a call!

The low cost of living in Ohio and numerous recreational areas make the state one of the best places to consider retirement for people who love to have fun and relax without sacrificing quality of life. The arts, culture and entertainment scene along with outdoor activities make this retirement-friendly locale the place to be, whether in a major city or small town. Learn about all the benefits of retiring in Ohio.

Cost of Living

The overall cost of living in Ohio is approximately 8 percent less than the national average as of 2015. Housing costs are 21 percent lower than the national average. Utilities are also ranking lower than the national average which makes affordability one of the key benefits of retiring in Ohio.

Culture

Ohio is home to several colleges and universities with several college towns being created in the surrounding towns. Arts and culture are huge in and around the college campuses. Oxford, in particular, has a vibrant artistic scene which includes a free summer concert series, an art museum, college theater scene and more offerings for people of all ages to enjoy. It depends on an individual's tastes but having so many young people in the area can bring a vibrancy to an area and support lots of creative endeavors for individuals wishing to retire close to artistic communities with lots of activities.

Activities

Throughout the state of Ohio, outdoor activities abound with lots of space to explore for the outdoor enthusiast. Year-round opportunities are available including bike trails, 330 miles of connected trails in Yellow Springs and Dayton and across the state. Headlands beach is located near Mentor where residents can swim or fish and hike the trails or spot rare plant life at the 450-acre Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve and Marina. Whether it is hiking, biking, bird watching or other activity, there is something for all enthusiasts to enjoy across the state of Ohio.

Senior-Friendly Fun

One of the biggest challenges for retirees is finding activities which are fun and engaging while supporting community with groups and organizations. Senior citizen centers and communities across Ohio provide activities and groups just for this reason. The city of Lakewood, for example, has a Division of Aging which organizes senior-only activities such as a photography club and others including lectures, movies, poker and a book club, to name a few. The opportunity to connect with other mature residents is endless and the chance to see and do many great things are available at an individual's fingertips in Ohio.

Retirement is a state of mind, which is very individualized depending on a person's desires and goals. There is also lots of quiet space to find respite and peace from the hectic city life in smaller towns which offer scenic views over a lake or hills and trees. Enjoy the four seasons in Ohio and enjoy a low cost of living and higher quality of life that is unsurpassed.

Looking to retire in Ohio and live life on the lake?

Choice Properties Agents can help you find the perfect retirement home here in Indian Lake Ohio.