10. Cheap light fixtures and fans that will not last
9.   Kitchen cabinets have very few drawers and are too small to even fit your utensil tray
8.   Garage is so small you can’t fit your SUV, both cars, or your toys/tools
7.   Not enough or improperly installed insulation which can cause major problems with water and ice buildup
6.   Undersized water heater
5.   Master closet only has room for hanging space on one side
4.   Furnace is an off-brand, has no warranty, and could be very costly to fix if it fails in the next five years
3.   No sound insulation installed around the bathrooms
2.   Floor coverings look good, but really are the cheapest product available
1.   Windows are flimsy and difficult to open/close  

So what do you do?  

If you are buying an existing home, make sure you “test-live” the home. No one buys a car without a test drive, so apply this same principle to a home. Here are some things to be sure to test:

• Open and close ALL windows
• Open the cabinets to see if there is adequate drawer and cabinet space
• Count the number of closets
• Count the number of cabinets
• Turn on the bath fans
• Turn on the faucets
• Look very close at the trim to see if joints are mostly caulk (too much caulk indicates poor quality)
• Park your cars in the garage to see if they fit
• Get on your hands and knees and touch the carpet – Does it feel like it will last more than 6 months?
• Lay out your furniture in the home (especially check on the dining room table)
• Look for indications of a damp basement. Is the sump pump running?
• Ask for details about the materials used (i.e. furnace, water heater, floor coverings, faucets, exterior siding, roof shingles, door hardware, windows) and research these products online. You may discover that some of these products could result in costly repairs in the future.
• Ask about the home warranty and service program  

 

If you are building a new home, here are some additional things you do not want to forget:

• Talk to friends, family, co-workers, current residents in the neighborhood that you are considering… and obtain references. Don’t rely solely on builder testimonials as virtually anyone can get a good testimonial at some time.
• “Test-live” model homes as noted above
• Ask lots of questions
• Listen to questions the builder asks to see if the builder is trying to understand your lifestyle
• Review floor plans carefully
• Ask if you can customize the home to reflect your lifestyle - not just customize colors - but actually have the option to move walls and increase/decrease the size of the interior spaces to enhance your lifestyle  

 

Most importantly, take enough time to imagine your daily life and make sure the home is right for you and your family!