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SELWYN TIMES Tuesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>22</strong> <strong>2016</strong> 41<br />
Looking for a property – what really counts?<br />
You are in the market for a new property,<br />
scrolling the Internet, examining properties for<br />
sale and zeroing in on those with potential. They<br />
might be in locations that offer cheaper land,<br />
larger houses, or convenience to work or school.<br />
You may have visited show homes and open<br />
homes becoming confused, overwhelmed or<br />
swept away with emotional factors like having<br />
everything new, or extra features such as three<br />
car garaging.<br />
To be happy with your choice, list the features<br />
that you need, considering:<br />
• Family space – Is there room for the<br />
children to play indoors and for television and<br />
entertainment units? Should this be open plan or<br />
separated?<br />
• Kitchen – What needs to be in your kitchen?<br />
How serious are you about a butler’s pantry? Is<br />
it a whim or something that offers a practical<br />
solution to the way you use your kitchen?<br />
• Bedroom sizes – What are optimum sizes?<br />
Smaller bedrooms may translate to slightly<br />
lower building costs while extra space can be<br />
useful. When looking at existing homes, consider<br />
whether the size of each bedroom is sufficient.<br />
• Garaging – A standard double garage once<br />
two cars are parked there offers little space for the<br />
toys. What toys do you have and could they live<br />
with the lawnmower in a garden shed, a cheaper<br />
option to three car garaging? If the budget allows<br />
and a larger garage with workshop is important,<br />
make it a selection priority.<br />
• Size of land – Lifestyle properties offer<br />
space for children, pets, hobbies, an expansive<br />
Your guide to Show Homes & New Sections<br />
garden and perhaps a home-run business but<br />
they require work so are not for everyone and a<br />
compact section might be more sensible if a tight<br />
budget or busy lifestyle.<br />
• Bathrooms – Second and third bathrooms are<br />
great in homes with teenagers and a wet shower<br />
room is ideal for young children. A bath might<br />
be fashionable though is often not used and its<br />
absence could mean a more spacious bathroom.<br />
• Laundry – Would a laundry in the garage do<br />
the job?<br />
• Storage – How much storage do you need?<br />
Weigh up what can truly be stored in the garage<br />
once vehicles are in, a preference in winter.<br />
Garages vary in size so check the size to ensure<br />
your vehicles will fit. Look also at where else<br />
the house offers storage capacity such as in hall<br />
cupboards, a large hot water cylinder cupboard,<br />
wardrobes (check their width and depth),<br />
walk-in robe, attic storage trusses, as well as the<br />
potential for hooks and shelving in the garage for<br />
bikes, tools, garden equipment and even kayaks.<br />
• Off-street parking – How many vehicles can<br />
be parked on the driveway? Will this space be<br />
sufficient?<br />
• Garden - Is there sufficient space for your<br />
children to play or for entertaining?<br />
A checklist will allow you to determine what<br />
will suit your needs, the point of the exercise,<br />
saving you time looking at properties or potential<br />
house designs while assisting you to decide<br />
whether to buy a new or existing home with both<br />
options having advantages and disadvantages.<br />
in the <strong>Selwyn</strong> District
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