This housing selection checklist is a tool to help you select housing that is right for you and your family. Before you select a home and get a mortgage, you need to know if you’ll be happy with the home you select for years to come. Home selection is an important step in your life, and using a smart home selection checklist will help you think through all the things you need to know about a home before you buy it. Take a checklist to each household you can select and write down all important household selection points on the checklist. Use the checklist for each potential home selection and you’ll have a “fact book” to review and analyze before your final home selection.

These important factors in home selection are designed to help you create your own checklist.
You can then search for homes for sale and make a checklist of how each home compares to other homes you’ve selected to view. By the time you’re ready to get a mortgage, you’ll know exactly the pros and cons of each home from the selection checklist.

1. How old is the structure? Older houses require more maintenance. Mortgages on older homes can be more difficult to obtain. Mortgage insurance and homeowner protection required by the mortgage company you select may be more expensive for the home. Make a note on the selection checklist of any items that need repair if you select that home.
2. How many floors is the house? If you or a member of your family is getting older, or if you expect to live in the home you’ve chosen for years to come, stairs can be a major problem. If you’re young and won’t be living in this home selection for years, this shouldn’t be a problem. Put this on your selection checklist if it is a concern for you and your family. Make a note on your household checklist of any screening items that might make family visits difficult. It would be a huge inconvenience, to say the least, if your family can’t visit you due to stairs or hills.
3. What material is the construction of the house? Homes built with concrete blocks and slabs pose less of a fire threat and this will reflect on your home insurance and maybe even mortgage rates. Put the type of building you prefer on your home selection checklist.
4. Kitchen area: How big will a kitchen fit your lifestyle? Is the refrigerator old or brand new? Is the stove in good condition? Do you prefer to cook with a gas or electric stove? Do you want a garbage disposal? Determine exactly what is important in a kitchen and put those selections on your checklist. Then rate each property you might select as to how many of the checklist features are included. Of course, some selection checklist features are quite easy to add; other characteristics of the selection checklist cannot be changed.
5. Living Rooms: Is a formal living room and family room an important selection on your personal selection checklist? List each need on the housing selection checklist. Are there windows for plants, if you are a plant lover? Is the possible home selection carpet in good condition? Think about these elements before signing a mortgage! Write down any likely expenses on your household checklist to review later. Use them in your mortgage budget
6. Laundry Facilities: Does your home selection have laundry hookups that won’t require you to walk up and down stairs to get clothes from bedrooms to the washing machine? Are the connections in good condition? Note on the selection checklist. Put on your selection checklist any items you would select to replace when you move into the house. Write on the checklist the anticipated cost of replacing the items you select as unacceptable. Remember to budget so you can pay the mortgage and remodel the house after you buy it.
7. Bedrooms: Is your family formed or do you plan to have more children? Are there enough rooms to allow guests? Is the master bedroom in the house selection big enough? Getting a mortgage on a house that is too small can be a big mistake. Put exactly the size of home you need to select on your selection checklist.
8. Closets: Will there be enough closet space for your family’s clothes? Put on your checklist how many cabinets you need.
9. Restrooms: Will there be enough facilities in your home selection to allow everyone room for their personal items and plenty of time to use the facilities? Large families require multiple bathrooms; Be sure to put this on your home selection checklist! A selection that needs to add bathrooms plus mortgage payments can be expensive. Consider this in your mortgage budget.
10. Roofing: Look at materials and condition. If it looks like your roof will need repair soon, factor this major cost into your mortgage price. Roofing is very expensive. Research the cost of replacing a roof before making an offer. Please note these costs on the house checklist. Will your budget cover mortgage and roofing expenses?
11. Water Heater: Look at the water heater and determine the condition. Look for places that may have leaked and any resulting damage. Also, is the water heater gas or electric in the household selection? More notes for your household checklist.
12. Air Conditioning/Heating: Do these units in the home selection look old or new? Are they energy efficient? If you take out a mortgage on a home only to find out that all your heating or HVAC needs to be replaced, it could cause you financial stress. Make a checklist of the estimated age of each appliance and piece of equipment in the prospective home selection. Include expense checklist notes to replace old items. Put in your home mortgage screening notes that you may want a home inspection or warranty if the equipment looks older; Selecting your checklist can prevent you from making a major mortgage mistake!
13. Cost of utilities: Don’t be afraid to ask homeowners to see electric, gas and water bills. If their home selection is well insulated and energy efficient, they will be happy to show it to you. Energy costs are important items on your home selection checklist.
14. Neighborhood: Do you want to be in a gated community? Is there a children’s play area near the house? What about the schools? Is the neighborhood surrounding the home selection clean and attractive? Take a walk around the neighborhood; view other homes to learn about the area before making your home mortgage selection. Safe neighborhoods help not only make mortgage approval easier, but insurance as well. Include this item in your home selection list.
15. Patio – If you have children or pets, you may want a large patio. If you are a gardener, it is important to have a beautiful garden. Again, make a checklist of everything that really matters in selecting your ideal home.
16. Parking: Is there room for your vehicles and guests? There is a garage? garage? Is the driveway in good condition? Include what matters to you on your home selection checklist. Again, if these require repair, put these notes on the checklist so you can budget accordingly.
17. Future expansion: If you want to expand the house in the future, is there space on the property without being overcrowded? Consider the future before mortgaging a home that you may have to sell later as your family’s needs grow.
18. Zoning and Restrictions – If you have a home business, is it allowed in the potential neighborhood? Selecting a house that impedes the activities you value would be a serious mistake. Some communities have restrictions regarding working on your car or motorcycle, parking a boat, and other things you need to know before making your final housing selection. Keep this item on your selection checklist if you work on your car or have a boat next to the house.
19. Work: Is the house of your choice close to where you work? If not, is it easy to access the highway for an easy commute from home? Will you ever hate the idea of ​​going to work from this location? Write down the miles you will drive per day and the cost on the selection checklist for your household.
20. Shopping: Supermarkets and convenience stores, gas stations and the like should be very close to your home selection. Write down on your selection checklist how far from your home the nearest shopping malls are. Checklist where you would go from home to shop.
21. Sidewalks – This item on the home selection checklist is important for families with children. If there are no sidewalks, then children will not be able to easily walk to visit friends, ride their bikes, or do other activities that children love to do. Also, checklist if you like to go for walks or walk for exercise.
22. Amusements, Churches, Activities – If you have activities you like to do, consider driving time from home selection. Will your kids’ visits to the movies on Saturday turn into a long drive? Are there at least a few doctors near the prospective home? The diversions your family enjoys should be reasonably easy to get to.
23. Neighborhood lighting: If you like to go out at night or if your children are going to play outside, is the area well lit? Not only are these selection criteria important to your children, but burglars just hate a well-lit home and neighborhood. Make a list of some security issues you need before considering a mortgage.
24. Traffic: If you have children, your new neighborhood should be low in traffic. Also, traffic equals noise. Consider this important fact as well. A house on a freeway has frustrated many.

The items in this home selection checklist are intended to help you think through the checklist of important home selection options before you obtain a mortgage on a home. Create a personalized home selection checklist that includes the things that are important to YOU ​​and YOUR FAMILY, then take it with you when you buy your home. With a checklist
in hand, you can make the selection that will make you happy for years and years!