Free Real Estate Articles by Damian Lanfranchi and Done-For-You Deals

When you look for a new house, everyone asks the same tired questions,

“What are the schools like?”
“How many bedrooms are there?”
“How much are the taxes?”
“Is it a safe neighborhood?”

These are all great questions and ones you need to ask, especially when you start your search. The trouble is when it comes to actually making a real decision on a house, these standard questions rarely give you the true insight you need to make such a big decision.

You see, frankly these standard fact finding questions are boring. They’re one-dimensional and don’t say anything about whether a specific house is right for you and your family.

Rather than try to explain it – let me give you an example.

The typical home buyer might see a living room and ask, “What are the dimensions and how new is the floor?”

Okay, fine. But the real tell-tale sign on whether a house is really the right home for you (I’m intentionally using “house” and “home” differently here) is to picture yourself actually in it.

Forget about the stupid flooring and room dimensions, ask yourself, “What would it be like to serve my Sunday dinners in this dining room every week?” “What would it be like to clean up this dining room every week?”

Asking these “picture yourself” kind of questions do an amazing job at moving past the plain dull facts and seeing if a house really is the right home for the living, breathing unit that is your family.

Here are some of my favorite questions I like to ask:

• How much would I enjoy sleeping-in late on my days off in this master bedroom?”
• What would it be like to celebrate a family Christmas or New Year’s Party at this house?
• Would I be excited and proud to have old friends and new ones come to this house and say, “Welcome to MY Home.”
• Is there a cozy spot in the house I could see myself just kicking back and relaxing in to watch my favorite TV shows every day?
• How much housework would I have to do to get this place looking sparkly clean when special guests visit?
• If you have kids, where would my kids enjoy playing their favorite games?
• Would I feel safe letting my child walk home from the bus down this street?

So next time you visit a new property, give these questions a shot. I think you’ll find putting yourself in the question will tell you a lot more about what house is the right HOME for you ?