5 Things To Look For When Buying A House

You got that new promotion, inheritance, savings, or big sale, and you're ready to purchase your own home. This is a big step for everyone, and shouldn't be taken lightly! There are many mistakes people make on the journey to buying a house in Pittsburgh. Most people assume it just has to do with price or repairs, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. Here are 5 things you should also consider before buying your home...

1. Taxes

Property taxes differ from city to municipalities. Some areas have extremely high tax milage and others have barely enough to support the local schools. This is a huge component to buying a house. Taxes are a guaranteed expense when it comes to owning a house in Pittsburgh. If you have an extra $200 a month just in taxes, this can deter where you buy, or where you should buy.

2. Demographics

Everyone should love everyone in the great city of Pittsburgh, but we also have the choice of who we want to live near. There are areas that are wealthier, more artistic, culturally diverse, older, and younger. There are many areas to choose from in the city, but this should be a consideration before making a decision. If you are older and seeking piece and quiet, it doesn't make too much sense to search in an area that is the party capital of the city!

3. Commute

How far away is this area from your job? Are there several busy highways in order to get there? Adding on additional time to your commute can be extremely frustrating. Every single day that can bother someone and slowly eat away at the happiness of their new house. Also, can you shorten your commute by where you're moving to. Imagine not needed to drive or cutting your commute time in half. That can have the opposite effect on a new homeowner!

4. Appreciation

Is the area you are buying in expected to improve in value? Are there any new developments in the area? Is there attractions to bring consumers into the area? If not and you anticipate the value going down in the area, it might not be the best investment. Who would want to park tens of thousands of dollars into something that needs repairs and maintenance, and won't even be worth more down the road?

5. Crime

It is important that everyone feels safe at home. Home is a place to leave your concerns behind and have peace and quiet. This can be disrupted if there are high or increasing crime rates in the neighborhood. While it might not affect you on a daily basis, the concern can be enough to ruin a happy home and limit your activities outside of the house.

Buying a house in Pittsburgh should be an exciting, but practical decision. The worst thing that can happen is buying something you dislike because of factors you overlooked. Always use logic in the buying process, especially for something as big as a new home!