Tri-Valley Real Estate Blog

Moving to San Ramon With Your Pet

August 1, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

If you’re moving to the beautiful city of San Ramon, CA, in the near future, you may be concerned about how to handle your pet during the process. Change is disturbing for any animal, but you can ensure a smooth transition by following a few tips recommended by the experts. By planning ahead and taking advantage of the right products, you’ll keep your furry friends safe and happy.

Planning Ahead for Your Animal

Pets feel safe and secure with predictable routines, and moving disrupts this considerably. Since your animals can’t help pack boxes or carry furniture, it’s best to keep them away from the increased activity. Ask a friend or family member to look after your animal for a few hours, or keep them outside or in undisturbed rooms. In addition, make sure your pets are microchipped and have ID tags with your contact information in case you become separated from your animal while moving.

Safety and Comfort While Traveling

For some animals, traveling in the car to San Ramon or any other location can be a stressful experience. According to the organizers of National Pet Travel Safety Day, there are many tips you can follow to ensure your pet stays protected throughout the journey. Focus on the following:

Use a carrier and secure it with a seatbelt.
Bring pheromones or scented items from your original home.
Provide plenty of food and water with your pet’s favorite bowls.
Medical care. Locate veterinarians along your route in case of emergency.

When it comes to air travel, what you need to do with your animal will depend on the airline. Some small animals are allowed in carriers in the cabin, but others may have to travel in the cargo area. Unfortunately, there are many pitfalls of pet airline travel, so it’s best to drive whenever possible.

Products for Your Pet’s Comfort

Another great way to keep your pet happy and comfortable during your journey to San Ramon is to give them toys that provide a distraction. One example is vet-recommended dog chews, especially those that promote healthy teeth and gums. Cats love fast-moving toys, and pet rabbits love things like baskets, balls, and plastic items. Find the best, well -reviewed products from the right resource.

Insure Your Pet

Once your pet is comfortable and happy, give yourself some peace of mind during your move to San Ramon. Pet insurance can protect you financially from expensive costs should your animal get injured or become ill during your move. And if you’re looking for pet insurance in California, here are several recommendations. Your insurance policy should allow you to choose your own veterinarian, not interfere with the fee structure of your vet, and mandate a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

Once you find a policy that satisfies these requirements, shop around for the coverage that has deductibles and premiums within your budget. Also, make sure that the insurance company has good customer reviews.

Plan, Provide, and Insure

By planning where your pet is going to be and providing the right products and toys, you can make moving your pet to San Ramon, CA, smooth and easy. You can also protect your pet’s health and your own financial interests by getting a good pet insurance policy. Visit Dale Corpus Real Estate to learn more about moving your pet to San Ramon and other topics related to pet health and happiness.

Image via Pexels

5 Ways to Get the Best Deal on a House

July 26, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

We always want the best deal; and even better when we can find a great deal on a great house that we really love. If you’re ready to get into the real estate search game, know all you can about the business, the market and prepare yourself for getting a great deal.

Here are 5 ways to get the very best real estate deal.

#1. Know the market.

The knowledge really is power and if you’re planning on getting the best deal, this is not something that you decide on a Tuesday afternoon and then put in an offer Wednesday morning. You need to do the research in order to get the best deal. Take some time; maybe even a month or two to really find out where you want to live, get a good list of communities, subdivisions or neighborhoods that you’d like to choose and then the research over the last six months for that area.

How is the market doing? Are homes increasing in value rapidly or gradually? Are homes dropping in value? What about the crime rate for a particular area? Are there good schools in the area, something to consider for resell value? Home selling quickly? If homes in a particular area are selling fast you may need to come up with an escalation clause or deal with multiple bids for the same property.

If there are 300 homes in a subdivision yet only two or three are listed at a particular time, chances are that’s a very popular neighborhood and you might end up paying more than the asking price in order to get the home. If there are dozens of homes in a smaller neighborhood, people may be moving for a particular reason. Is there new construction going to be happening in the area? Talk to the neighbors about why they’re moving. And of course, talk to your buyers agent about a particular neighborhood, why you want to live there and if they have any concerns or advice they can share about the subdivision, community or area in general.

#2. Set yourself up as an attractive buyer.

After you’ve done the research on a particular neighborhood and you have a good idea of the area you want to live in and the price range, set yourself up for homebuying success. This means doing the financial homework necessary in order to purchase a home. If your financing the property, talk to a lender about the type of loan that works best for your situation. Get a preapproval letter and set aside some funds either for a down payment and/or earnest money deposit. The larger the earnest money deposit the more serious sellers take you. They may be more inclined to accept your offer then another similar offer that has a lower earnest money deposit.

Another way you can be an attractive buyer is to minimize your contingencies. If you need to sell a particular property, have tough financing contingencies or too many conditions that need to be completed before you finalize the purchase, sellers just see you as a hassle and may decline your offer altogether. Of course we always recommend a home inspection but in a slower market you might consider a home inspection prior to making an offer. This could waive the inspection after the offer is accepted, speeding up the process and making you more attractive to the seller.

#3. Consider a foreclosure or short sale.

Foreclosures and short sales are still out there and they can be great deals. There are keys to look for though in a foreclosure or short sale property:

Find the least attractive property in the best neighborhood. By doing so you can instantly gain equity once the home is fixed up, because it matches the rest of the homes in the area.
Keep your eye out for mispriced listings. Overpriced properties will generally get very little interest and attention and could sit on the market for a long time. These are great properties to go for because they might be more inclined to accept a lower offer.
Buy a foreclosure at the year or quarter end. This works especially well with cash buyers. If you make an offer at the end of a month, quarter or year, many banks will accept that offer in order to get the deal closed and off the books.
Look for the diamond in the rough. Many real estate agents make it too many homes from banks and not have enough time to really research the property and showcase the best features. Check out these properties a little bit closer and if they meet your criteria for size and the neighborhood, check out in person and you might find great features that the real estate agent failed to mention.

#4. Negotiate with everyone involved.

You can negotiate pricing from just about every party involved in the real estate transaction. This could include your real estate agent, appraiser, lender, inspector, escrow and title company. You might be surprised at how much you can save simply by negotiating everybody’s fees in an amicable and reasonable way.

#5. Know When to Pull the Trigger.

Knowing when to pull the trigger is something that you and your buyers agent should discuss. Once you’ve done everything prior to this point, knowing when NOT to wait is crucial. By determining all the factors above, understanding the area and the market, you should be able to pull the trigger on an offer at the right time.

ALSO – know when to walk away. This is just as important as knowing when to go for it. Your agent will be able to talk you through the plan and when not to get your emotions too involved. Sometimes, buyers can get so wrapped up in the process, they overpay when it’s all said and done. Don’t let the idea of “winning” become the focus over getting the right house at the right time.

Ready to get started? Ready for step one? Let’s talk!

More Tips for Home Buyers:

Does a Pool Increase Home Value?

July 20, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

Pools have gained popularity since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. With more people spending more time at home than ever before, coupled with restrictions or closures at local recreation facilities, having a pool at your home lets you keep an at-home oasis. While having a home with a pool is currently hotter than a balmy summer day, we wanted to outline the scenarios where a swimming pool can boost value across the board. There are a handful of key variables to consider and weigh when it comes to understanding if a swimming pool adds value to your home or not.

Inground pools will typically lead to an increase in your home value, but above-ground pools might not. Let’s look into each option in some more depth below. When compared to inground pools, above-ground pools aren’t seen as being nearly as upscale or sophisticated. One of the biggest factors that can determine whether or not an above-ground pool will increase your home value is the quality.

This will have an impact on whether or not you see any return on investment from the installation and maintenance costs. The location also matters when it comes to this question. In places where there are warm temperatures year-round, an above-ground pool can potentially add value. If this isn’t the case, homebuyers might feel like the amenity isn’t essential and actually sacrifices valuable yard space.
Above-ground pools aren’t allowed in many homeowners’ associations. You typically find this style of pool in rural settings and older neighborhoods. If you choose to get an above-ground pool, think of it as an investment for your own enjoyment rather than as a scheme to increase your home value.

Inground pools do typically increase your property value but read on before you start scheduling quotes from local pool installers. Though it might increase the value of your home, you still might not recoup your investment.

In ideal circumstances, installing an inground pool can boost the value of your house by as much as 7%. Considering how much it costs to install a pool, this means that you likely won’t increase your home’s value as much as it cost you to install the pool. You can’t sidestep this issue if you build a pool that is too elaborate or fancy when compared to your home, either.

You might consider hiring a professional appraiser if you are thinking about building a pool and are concerned with its impact on the value of the home. They will be able to help estimate how much of an increase, if any, you can expect for your home’s value. You can then weigh out whether or not this works for your specific needs.

Dale Corpus offers information on the Tri-Valley California real estate market including homes in San Ramon, Pleasantville real estate, Livermore, Danville and surrounding areas.

Easiest Flowers to Grow in your Garden

Six Healthy Flooring Options

From Retired to Renovator; a House Flipping Guide

4 Design Tips to Enjoy Garden Views from Inside the Home

How to Design a Family-Friendly Backyard

June 29, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

How to Design a Family-Friendly Backyard Outdoor play is critical for children, so it’s crucial to keep them in mind when designing your yards. For those living in or near a city, creating an outdoor space for your children can feel daunting. Whether you have minimal space or unique desires for your kids, the following will help you get the ball rolling with your project. An outdoor space is an opportunity for you and your child to experience nature, so why not make this a focal point. Natural materials can look more attractive and help to integrate the play area with the native surroundings.

Yard games, like corn hole and horseshoes, are played in narrow strips of yard, and provide great entertainment for all ages. This could be an inventive solution to odd-shaped spaces or unused side yards. Use the vertical spaces when you’re trying to maximize usable area in your yard. Unique elements, like an outdoor chalkboard or dart board, are perfect options. They take up little to no room, and can provide hours of entertainment.

How to Design a Family-Friendly Backyard Create multi-level play areas that fit into your space’s topography. Work with what you have, and in the end you’ll have an inventive space that fits in with the natural landscape. Multi-level areas can include features like slides and climbing walls.

Include a gardening area. This is a great opportunity to introduce your children to new activities they can enjoy in your backyard. This activity doesn’t take up much space, and taking care of plants can add to your child’s education, especially if you area homeschooling parent.

Make space for active play. An empty area of hardscape or yard allows your child to evolve in their interests. Hardscape will be better for biking and skating, whereas grass can provide a cushion for more risky activities.

Have fun and be creative, but most of all enjoy the outdoors!

Dale Corpus offers information on the Tri-Valley California real estate market including homes in San Ramon, Pleasantville real estate, Livermore, Danville and surrounding areas.

Easiest Flowers to Grow in your Garden

Six Healthy Flooring Options

From Retired to Renovator; a House Flipping Guide

4 Design Tips to Enjoy Garden Views from Inside the Home

Easiest Flowers to Grow in your Garden

June 22, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

Gardening definitely has its fair share of difficulties, so every once in a while it’s nice to rely on flowers that thrive with minimal time and effort. Here are some easy flowers to grow that are suitable for nearly any backyard. Easiest Flowers to Grow in your Garden

Aster

With more than 250 varieties, you’re bound to find a cultivar that’s suited to your space. The extensive range of sizes and colors available makes this plant one of the most popular late-season bloomers.

Daylily

This summer bloomer is cherished for its reliability. And with thousands of cultivars out there, gardeners have almost limitless options. Though individual blossoms last just a day, many hybrids flower repeatedly all season long.

Yarrow

Yarrow produces long-lasting, easy to grow flowers that come into their own once the weather is consistently warm. Suited to most growing conditions, yarrow provides a long season of blooms all the way into fall.

Sedum

You’ll notice that this plant’s flower heads are made up of little star-shaped blooms. Since the plants range from 3 inches to 3 feet high, some species work well as ground covers, while others make excellent border plants.

Coneflower

Its sweet honey nature has made coneflower a garden staple. Growing about 2 to 4 feet high and 2 feet wide, this colorful bloomer is the perfect companion plant in just about any garden, and tolerates drought. Give it well-draining soil and watch it thrive in full sun as well as partial shade.

Hosta

The ultimate low-care shade plant, hosta cultivars come with endless varieties of leaf shapes, patterns, textures and colors. Easily divided, hosta is perfect for the budget-minded. It forms a dense, leafy clump, with blossoms rising up to 3 feet above the foliage. Some hostas tolerate sun, but partial shade produces the most handsome, longest-lasting foliage.

Bee Balm

This unusual beauty grows up to 4 feet tall and starts flowering in midsummer, inviting hummingbirds, butterflies and bees to your backyard. Plants come with pink, red, white or purple blooms and reseed readily.

Pansy

This colorful bloomer is best known for the whiskered “faces” that mark many of the flowers. The majority of pansy varieties are annuals, though some live longer. Most perform best in cooler weather, so in warm climates, some cultivars are grown as winter annuals.

Peony

A peony’s fresh, heady scent simply can’t be beat. In late spring, bushy plants burst with lush, showy purple, white, red, yellow or pink blooms that make this flower a favorite choice to use in colorful beds and bouquets. Hundreds of peony hybrids are available.

Sunflower

There’s something about a sunflower’s bright face that makes you feel good. These easy flowers to grow range from red to yellow to white.

It’s easier than you might think to grow flowers from seed. You only need a few basic supplies to make it a success. If you choose flowers that are easy to grow from seed it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. The biggest challenge you’ll face is not getting carried away and planting more seeds than you have space for. Finally, growing your own flowers from seed is fun, and seeing those little seedlings thrive is hugely rewarding.

More: 4 Design Tips to Enjoy a Garden from the Inside

Dale Corpus offers information on the Tri-Valley California real estate market including homes in San Ramon, Pleasantville real estate, Livermore, Danville and surrounding areas.

Financing a Non-Warrantable Condo

June 7, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

What exactly is a non-warrantable condo?

If you are considering purchasing a condo it is good to know that recently there have been some changes to the requirements of lending money through a conventional loan on a condo property. Financing a Non-Warrantable Condo

A conventional loan is the most common and traditional of loans. These loans are those that are within the requirements set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be federally backed. In other words, the lender is able to sell the loan off instead of holding it in-house or finding a private investor to purchase the loan.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are the largest purchasers of condo mortgage loans in the country. For them to purchase a loan it has to meet their requirements so a majority of lenders will try to stick within these requirements to make sure they are not holding onto mortgage loan products.

Recently these two large mortgage-backing giants set new requirements that condos must be under warranty to be eligible for a conventional loan. This change came after the catastrophic collapse of a condo building in South Florida. It was discovered that repairs were suggested to be made that continued to be put off. Issues arise in an approval when an inspection is done on the property and it is found that the condo association has not kept up-to-date with maintenance as well as other safety concerns with the building. This has led many condo buildings to be deemed unwarrantable.

Options a buyer has for financing a non-warrantable condo

If you are trying to secure conventional financing and find that the condo property is non-warrantable there are two options to move forward with your purchase. You can have the items in question fixed or find a lender that will offer a non-QM mortgage on what conventional lenders determine non-warrantable.

To find this type of mortgage loan it is a good idea to ask the advice of a local mortgage broker in the location where you plan to purchase a condo or condo building. Mortgage brokers are a great resource to tap into for essentially one stop mortgage shopping. They make it their job to know the current mortgage products on the market available for certain situations.

Additionally, you want to find a mortgage broker that specializes in non-QM mortgage products. Non-QM mortgages are those that are willing to lend money outside of the conventional parameters set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and take on the risk of holding the loan in-house or finding their own investor to back it. Many times, non-QM mortgages give more freedom in qualifying for lending in special circumstances.

These are completely safe mortgage products that still check the borrower’s ability to repay the loan while offering them another option to finance their home or investment of an unwarrantable condo property and other types of properties. Many mortgage advisors have helped many borrowers in less than traditional situations to qualify for a reputable loan and make a real estate purchase they would otherwise be turned down for.

Second Home Financing Looks Different in 2022

4 Design Tips to Enjoy Garden Views from Inside the Home

May 31, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

A room that has an amazing view out of the windows can totally change the overall look and feel. Not every one of us however can have those views that look like a piece of art outside of giant windows. Many times, we are constrained to existing plots but one way we can improve the view out of our windows is with some smart landscaping design. 4 Design Tips to Enjoy Garden Views from Inside the Home

If you are starting completely from scratch with your landscape or working with one that needs a few adjustments and improvements here are some design tips to help you make the most of the views outside your windows from inside your home.

First, take a look through your windows

First, take a moment to pause and study the view out of your windows from inside of your home. What is the spot that is most easily and prominently seen through the windows from inside your home?

In addition to considering how you can make it more picturesque is taking into consideration if there are certain areas that may benefit from a little more privacy. Or maybe you might want to consider the significant investment of larger windows to more easily enjoy your future view of your beautiful garden.

Think about spaces like the foreground and background

When an artist begins painting, they think about how the composition will be set up. In the same way, your window is like a painting hung on your wall. You want to separate elements of your landscape close to the viewer from those that are further back.

Items that are closer to the viewer/the window are all about more detail as this will be more noticed. Things like grouping a cluster of small pots or bringing in tiny elements like a fountain will help to frame the foreground of your picturesque view.

Larger elements belong in the foreground. Items like large hedges work better at a greater distance from the viewer. This helps to draw the gaze deeper into the garden.

Add in some focal points

When looking out of a window a focal point provides a place for your eye to settle and rest on the view. This can include a decorative birdbath that is like an art piece, a fire pit, a seating area, and the like.

You want to make sure you find the right placement and align the focal point along a site line either within your garden or from the view of the window. You want to make sure that the element is enough to stand out against the rest of the landscape. This means that it creates a contrast from its surroundings.

Don’t forget about the winter

When planning out a lush landscape most of us are doing so in the spring and summer but if you are doing it to help improve the views from your windows inside the home you will be enjoying those views more often during the colder months.

Don’t forget to include plants that will look great all year long. Include some that will have bright branches, berries, or winter flowers. This will keep the view picturesque all year long, especially during those times when you spend long hours inside.

Dale Corpus offers information on the Tri-Valley California real estate market including homes in San Ramon, Pleasantville real estate, Livermore, Danville and surrounding areas.

From Retired to Renovator; a House Flipping Guide

April 24, 2022 by temineth Leave a Comment

From Retired to Renovator; a House Flipping Guide

Image by Pexel

From Retired to Renovator, a House Flipping Guide

As a lifelong homeowner, fixing, repairing, updating, and decorating your home, you feel pretty confident you can turn those skills into a home repair and resell business. Or in other words, you want to get into house-flipping.

If painting, landscaping, shopping for appliances, and installing cabinets and floor tile is your happy place, then that may very well be the perfect next career for you.

Dale Corpus Real Estate blog is full of great information any prospective home buyer will find valuable, whether looking for a place to call home or for a place to invest. He’s got the inside track on what you need to know before committing to one of the largest investments most people will ever make.

Choosing the Right Property

The right real estate agent can make all the difference when it comes to selecting the right property for your home renovation project. Oftentimes they’ll have information about homes that are not yet on the market. They’ll be able to negotiate more effectively with the sellers, too, since they know what price homes in the area are selling for now, and what they can expect homes to sell for in the near future. They’ll also be a great resource when you’re looking for contractors and subcontractors.

Getting an appraisal first will be something you’ll want even before you make an offer. Hiring an independent appraiser who can go over the property you’re looking at can save you thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars later. They can tell you if there is structural damage, like weak foundations, bad plumbing, or faulty electrical. Most agents will strongly advise you against purchasing a home that needs structural repair. Instead, finding a home in need of cosmetic updates will be far less costly to you in time and resources.

Choosing the Right Upgrades

Things that boost value immediately are updated appliances, flooring, paint, and wallpaper. For appliances, unless you’re in an area where most of the homes are new or newly renovated, you won’t necessarily need to purchase top-of-the-line models, but don’t be tempted to purchase salvaged or restored appliances. People will expect their appliances to at least be new.

As far as flooring is concerned, hardwood floors are the most popular with homebuyers, with tile and carpet coming in second but most times, you’ll find a mix of all three works in different rooms. It really just depends on how much you expect to sell the home for and what others in the neighborhood have installed. If most of the homes in the market have laminate flooring, you’re in luck since it’s relatively inexpensive and not too difficult to install yourself. A fresh coat of paint in neutral, or earth tones makes it easy for prospective buyers to picture themselves and their furnishing in the home.

Add some unique touches too, to make it stand out from all the other homes, like wallpaper. With peel and stick paper that can be both custom-designed and removed without leaving a residue behind, it is the perfect decorating addition for making your home stand out.

Choosing the Right Business Structure

If you’ve decided this is the business for you, look into forming an LLC. It will protect your personal assets from any business losses. You can do it yourself online in only a few minutes, just check with the local officials since the rules can vary from state to state.

Choosing the Right Marketing Strategy

Don’t leave all the promotion of your newly renovated property to your real estate agent. Being active in marketing your property means that now you’re ready to create a Facebook ad. You can create your own Facebook ad with pre-made templates that you can custom design with your brand, logo, colors, images, and fonts. Facebook has nearly 3 billion users, so that’s definitely a market you want to tap into.

Real estate is seldom a bad investment, as long as you’re well advised and well prepared to put in the hard work. If so, it can be a wonderfully satisfying way to spend your post-retirement years.

Why it is More Important than Ever to be Aware of Contract Contingencies

April 19, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

If you have previously purchased or sold a piece of real estate you more than likely know of contract contingencies. A contingency is a specific requirement that needs to be met in order for the contract to be official and the sale of the property to be finalized. Most often buyers or sellers include contingencies for their own interest and protection in the transaction. Why it is More Important than Ever to be Aware of Contract Contingencies

Contingencies are added in or included in standard real estate contracts to help ensure that certain conditions are met before final paperwork is signed. Since the beginning of the pandemic, it was not uncommon for many buyers to waive typical protection contingencies and sellers to include new ones not often heard of.

What to be aware of if You are a Buyer

Requesting a contingency as a buyer helps to give you an escape route from your offer on the property. Every contingency creates an additional hoop that needs to be jumped through or an item that needs to be met before the actual official sale can close. Most often on a buyer’s part contingencies include appraisals and inspections.

With the high competition amongst buyers, it was not uncommon to see many drop the standard traditional contingency for an inspection which holds a home seller to making certain repairs or being willing to negotiate a different price over any significant issues that are found after a professional inspection is conducted on the property. Those who chose the strategy of waiving this contingency do so in hopes of telling the seller they will not be expecting them to make good on any repair issues the home has and help the closing process go much quicker.

One thing to be aware of when you choose to waive an inspection contingency in hopes of making your offer more competitive with several offers on the table is that this does not mean you do not get to have an inspection at all. You can waive the contingency and still pay for an inspection, but you will not have the ability to back out on your offer for any repairs other than ones that make the home completely unlivable.

What to be aware of as a Seller

Right now, during a hot seller’s market, a homeowner has much more leverage to include contingencies in a real estate contract. Adding in contingencies can allow for more time to close on your home if you are struggling to find your next home purchase. One thing to be aware of though is even with a higher amount of leverage adding too many contingencies to the contract could cause buyers to walk away. Even when you have several ready to make an offer.

The bottom line when it comes to real estate contracts for both buyers and sellers is to make sure that you are going over them carefully. You want to make sure that you are not requesting too many contingencies that would make the other party back out of the deal. You also want to make sure that you pay plenty of attention to all of the contingencies in the contract making sure you know exactly what is being requested. A trusted real estate agent can help to walk you through every contract and best advise you on whether to accept or counter offer.

For more information on real estate in San Ramon and the Tri-Valley real estate area, please contact me any time.

Assessing Your Priorities and Preferences When Finding a New Place to Live

March 29, 2022 by Dale Corpus Leave a Comment

Assessing Your Priorities and Preferences When Finding a New Place to Live

Your home matters – a lot. It’s where you spend large portions of your life, day in and out. Besides being your base of operations, it influences your mood, your energy levels, and your overall wellbeing. The neighborhood around it is just as important, for similar reasons. As such, if you’re moving to a new place, it’s important to pick something that matches your needs and personality well. Assessing Your Priorities and Preferences When Finding a New Place to Live

In this post on the Dale Corpus Real Estate blog, we’ll discuss some friendly advice on picking the right new home (and neighborhood).

Cost of living

The cost of living is, arguably, the most important assessment you’ll be making. You should, ideally, prepare a budget to determine what you can afford. It’ll give you more direction when you’re looking for housing. Some costs to factor in include taxes, food, transportation, utilities, personal expenses, and more. 24/7 Wall St. offers a nice reference list of living expenses across major cities to help you estimate living costs.

Rent or buy?

Will you be renting or buying? Your financial situation will, of course, determine the answer. You may want to research the real estate market before you choose either option. If you’re considering buying a home “as is” – a popular choice because it’s cheaper – it’s important you proceed with caution. Some of these houses need to be double and triple-checked (because they’re not livable). Also, consider consulting with a lawyer and examining land records for red flags before committing.

Employment options

Every area has its specialty industries and related job opportunities. If you aren’t moving for job-related purposes, you should research the employment opportunities thoroughly. For those thinking about starting a new business or moving an existing business, spend some time researching the laws and guidelines related to the state. Rules do vary, so if you’re planning to register as an LLC, you need to ensure you’re filing everything correctly.

Nearby amenities

The proximity of nearby amenities is always an important deciding factor. You want to be comfortable, and not have to go too far for your needs. Some popular amenity considerations include nearby healthcare facilities, grocery stores, entertainment centers, restaurants, parks, lakes, fitness centers, and educational institutions. You may want to talk to your family (if applicable) and weigh everyone’s wants and needs.

Neighborhood culture and safety

The culture of people in the neighborhood can make a difference in your experience. You may find the “feel” of a particular neighborhood more to your liking than another. Furthermore, you may want to prioritize safety, especially if you have a young family. You’ll need a peaceful home in a peaceful neighborhood, with good, friendly people. Roomgo advises you to check the chicken-coffee ratio. If there are more coffee shops around, it proves the neighborhood has been gentrified.

Proximity to friends and family

Having the support of close family and friends is always a good idea. It’s easier to visit them if they live nearby, not to mention they can help you settle in faster and their presence may make you feel more comfortable. Of course, not everyone is close to their family. In such cases, you may want to move further away instead!

The living space itself

Last, but not least, you’ll want to consider the house itself. Would you like a family home or an apartment? Will you be living alone, with your family, or with roommates? Other specific factors to consider are accessibility, outdoor space, number of rooms, bathrooms, furnishings, and lighting. If you’re renting, don’t forget to look at the contract and see if you agree with the terms and conditions. For example, you may not be allowed to make alterations after you move in, which may put you off.

Conclusion

It’s always a good idea to talk to your family and gather everyone’s input before you settle on a particular location or house. You can also talk to the real estate agent and check people’s experiences online for a particular area before moving in.

Image via Unsplash