Pre-purchase: What should you know before purchasing your home?

By: Raevyn Jones, Marketing Coordinator, NHS of Baltimore


Before purchasing a new home, you should take the time to do a lot of research on the specific homes you have in mind, as well as the neighborhoods they are in. One of the most important things to do before you buy a home is to research the history of the home. To find out who owned the home before you and check public records about the house, there are many research methods offered.

You may want to know architechtural facts such as the date of construction, name of architech or builder, construction materials, and physical changes over time. Historical facts such as information on the original owner and other residents through time, or interesting events associated with the building or area.

Before purchasing a home, it is crucial to look up crime reports and know what neighborhoods are safest. With today’s technology, you can simply put in an address and find out what type of crimes have occurred in a specific neighborhood and when the crimes took place. In addition to general crime in the area, you can also do a specific search for sex offenders in the area. Safety is one of the most important things when it comes to purchasing a home. One’s house should be a safe haven for them, and knowing the surroundings of your home is necessary. According to Julienne’s Tips For Buying Your First Home, you should observe the prospective house during all times of the day to get an idea of how the neighborhood is at all times.

Doing research on the neighborhood of the home you want to purchase can also enable you to use your resources once you are moved in. For your convenience, you should always know what resources your neighborhood has such as grocery stores, libraries, hardware stores, leisure, and hospitals etc.

Although you may not want to take time out to do extensive research before buying a home, you do not want to settle and then move in and realize you could have made a better choice. Rushing will not help the homeownership process, buyers should be patient and do all necessary research on prospective homes.