House-Choosing Checklist

Measure your largest pieces of furniture, including height for items like entertainment armoires, then bring along a tape measure while house hunting so you can verify that everything will fit. If you love the house but the armoire is too tall, weigh forgoing the home against the possibility of finding a new arrangement for your TV and stereo. Don’t forget your non-furniture needs. “Running out of storage room is one of the principal reasons people buy new houses,” Beneke says. “They wind up needing more closet space, more garage space.” Yet when buyers are home shopping, they tend to forget all the belongings they’ve crammed in their attics, basements, garages and sheds. Ask yourself: Where will my golf clubs go? Where will I store the suitcases? “Take a tape measure and estimate the linear feet of closets you have, and think about how much storage space you need,” Rogers suggests. “Then, see how that maps out with how much the new house offers.” Remember to look for out-in-the-open storage, too. For instance, if your current house has built-in shelving for your books, DVDs and CDs and the new house doesn’t, will there be room for the shelving you’ll need to buy or build? If you display lots of collectibles or extra vases on shelves between your window and ceiling, will the new home’s ceiling height allow for that? Don’t hesitate to move objects and look behind furniture. If you do, you can spot problem areas like this crack—which could indicate water damage, given its proximity to the window—and flaws, such as the stain on the wood floor that was covered by a lamp. Count kitchen cabinets. Today, builders are putting pantries back in houses because homeowners have found they really need them. Does the new kitchen match your old one in pantry space and a cabinet-by-cabinet count? If you had a pot rack in your old house, you’ll need to determine if one will work in the new house or if there’s enough space for your pots and pans, china and glasses, and the platter you use on Thanksgiving. Does the laundry room work for you? Do you mind heading downstairs to the basement for every load? Will a laundry room near the home office create a noise problem? Will you have a place to fold and iron? Don’t forget the garage. “My house was built in 1956,” Beneke says. “Cars were smaller then. You can’t get today’s Texas-size SUVs into my garage.” Ensure that whatever you want to store in the garage will fit. Bells & Whistles Don’t get enticed by granite. High-end countertops in kitchens and baths can make a great impression. “ Don’t let it draw your eye at the expense of everything else,” Rogers warns. Attractive features like that make it easy to overlook less appealing qualities. Be discerning: Is the rest of the room just as attractive? Are the cabinets in good shape? The appliances? Think about how you use the space. After Rogers’ mother-in-law moved, she found she missed the second refrigerator she had in her old house because it was so handy for entertaining. For families, the kitchen tends to be a gathering place. Does the one you are considering offer enough room for the kids to do homework while you cook dinner, overlook the back yard so you can keep an eye on them while they’re playing or have enough room if more than one person is cooking? Beware of bathrooms. Don’t let a luxurious toilette steal your heart. “A double sink in the master is very useful, especially if you have two working people getting ready at the same time,” Rogers says. “But I really don’t think anybody needs a rainforest showerhead or the over-the-top Jacuzzi. I’m not sure those are the things you actually end up using.”

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