I. Budget
How much can I afford?
How much do I want to afford?
How much should I afford? - Market Values
II. Location - Location, Location, Location
Ask yourself how long you will be in this house
1. Base the affordability of budget on location
2. Market values vs. Family Values
Market value 1 to 5 years / Family Values 5 to 20 years Surrounding houses and their market price
3. School System– find out rankings (Business First, Buffalo News)
4. Taxes-call Town clerk
5. Subdivisions - how many homes, building and use restrictions, lot size, kids, sun exposure
6. Surroundings - kids, families, sun exposure
7. Consider traffic/commute time to and from work
8. Other considerations:
Community activities, privacy, sewer system, proximity to shopping, parks, sports, other activities, fire department, public service dept., police, etc.
9. Zonings and surrounding zonings, utilities, fill
10. Vacant lands and future development
11. Flight patterns
12. Recent soil samples, i.e. current Amherst situation
13. Some builders will only build in local area
14. Who should buy property, builder or customer? (control and financial strength)
15. Let builder or architect look at land-it may need fill or have wet lands.
Check maps