Durham, North Carolina House Hunting: Things to Look For

All home buyers - whether new to the process or experienced - want to buy their ideal house. And, it's very easy to lose sight of your goals with all the houses in Durham, North Carolina that might fit your needs (price, no. of bedrooms, etc.).

To help you narrow your "possibilities" list from online to the list of places you actually see, take this checklist along when you go house hunting. Highlight the items that are most valuable to you. It'll help you put a home's attributes into perspective and use true to life ways to measure the homes you're viewing. Keeping this list handy, you can compare the characteristics of up to three houses. Click here to print this page.

	Buying a home is a big step. We can offer advice and show you the place that's your best fit. Use FRANK WARD, REALTORS and we can help you make the decision that leads you to the home of your dreams.

Home Buyer Checklist	1	2	3
Home Address	.	.	.
Asking Price	$	$	$
Real Estate Taxes	$	$	$
The Neighborhood
Minutes Away From Work	.	.	.
Minutes Away From Schools	.	.	.
Close to Shopping	.	.	.
Highways Nearby	.	.	.
Minutes Away From Train Stations	.	.	.
Minutes Away From Physicians	.	.	.
Near Churches	.	.	.
Garbage Collection	.	.	.
Street Lights	.	.	.
Sidewalks	.	.	.
Streets / Alleys Well-Maintained	.	.	.
Type of Traffic	.	.	.
Parks	.	.	.
Neighbors' Properties Well-Maintained	.	.	.
Major Appliances Available	.	.	.
HOA Rules	.	.	.
Near Airports / Trains	.	.	.
Area Zoned Residential	.	.	.
Near Industry	.	.	.
Proposed Special Assessments	.	.	.
Environmental Concerns / Influences	.	.	.
The House
Age of Home	.	.	.
No. of Stories	.	.	.
Wood Frame, Brick Frame or Siding	.	.	.
Roof Appearance	.	.	.
Foundation Condition	.	.	.
General Exterior Quality	.	.	.
Two-Car Garage	.	.	.
No. of Bathrooms	.	.	.
No. of Closets	.	.	.
No. of Bedrooms	.	.	.
Oil, Gas or Electric Heat	.	.	.
Insulation	.	.	.
Central Air Conditioning	.	.	.
Energy-Conservation Features	.	.	.
Age of Heating System	.	.	.
Age of Water Heater	.	.	.
Capacity of Water Heater	.	.	.
Age of Electrical Wiring	.	.	.
Plumbing Condition	.	.	.
Estimated Water Bill	$	$	$
Estimated Heating Bill	$	$	$
Estimated Electric Bill	$	$	$
Living Spaces	.	.	.
Fireplace	.	.	.
Separate Dining Area	.	.	.
Family Room	.	.	.
Carpeting - No. of Rooms	.	.	.
Eat-In Kitchen	.	.	.
Refrigerator	.	.	.
Stove / Oven (Gas / Electric)	.	.	.
Garbage Disposal	.	.	.
Dishwasher	.	.	.
Broken / Drafty Windows	.	.	.
Storm Windows / Screens	.	.	.
Washer / Dryer Outlets	.	.	.
Laundry Room	.	.	.
Converted Basement	.	.	.
Attic	.	.	.
Sump Pump / Drainage	.	.	.
Connected to Sewer System	.	.	.
Patio / Deck	.	.	.
Backyard Fence	.	.	.
Curb Appeal	.	.	.
Property Boundaries	.	.	.
Security (dead bolts, detectors)	.	.	.
Building Code	.	.	.
Compliance	.	.	.
Ability to Expand / Enlarge House	.	.	.