When we were house hunting we knew what area we wanted to buy-in. We were simply upgrading from a semi-detached to a four-bed detached with double garage. I thought our list of requirements was short and to the point. It didn’t seem that we were looking for much or our search would show us that in reality there was more we wanted! Not changing the children’s schools was a huge part of the decision process and that was non-negotiable.
However as the house hunting started I rejected some houses on little more than curb appeal and how secure they looked. Curb appeal to me is that wow factor, those first impressions and we got that with our home. I will honestly admit that I rejected a house on the colour / shade of the bricks! yes that’s right and I said I’m not too fussy!
1. Location. It seems obvious but the position of your home is so important. Think about how far off the main roads it is, does it have a good driveway and parking? I know that you can’t change the location or move your house but consider when you sell it on. Will the location help you sell quickly? We have beautiful pine trees surrounding our home, they are protected and this gives us land around us which cannot be used for anything else. It makes our home special.
2. Clean windows and front door. It is all about those first impressions again! A new front door was one of the first things we changed just about two months after moving in. I think a front door should be welcoming and I spent ages choosing the new design! The door when we moved in was the original but I wanted something lighter with more glass and more visual appeal. Using local firms for double glazing in Gloucestershire ensures that you are supporting local businesses and getting quality products too. I also think it is important to change the locks when you move into a new home. I am wary that I just don’t know how many sets of keys could be in circulation. You can also test the new locks using everyday items that can be found at home to check its integrity.
3. Know your neighbours. I don’t mean this in a stalkerish way but look out for each other. It is easy to not to know your neighbours when leading busy lives, to not make the effort. I am lucky we have good neighbours and we look out for each other. If one of us is away we put each others bins out away. On occasion I have had a parcel left on the doorstep advertising that I am not in. Thankfully my neighbour saw it and took it in for us.
4) Look at your house from the eyes of a stranger. What are the weak spots, again out backdoor was mostly glass so it was changed. Our garden gate was easy to make more secure by adding a padlock. This is a good safety measure of when Erin is playing in the garden but also to keep the garden secure.
When looking for tradespeople and companies it is important to look at their recommendations and past work. Using local firms for big projects is worth it. Firms like Albany Windows are Which? Trusted Trader and have relevant Trust Marks and they have been established over 15 years too. Reputation is really important and being able to trust the people you have to work in your home is priceless.
Disclosure: This post is in association with Albany Windows.
