When we are looking to move to a new home, we often focus most of our attention on the interior. What does the kitchen look like? Are there enough bedrooms? How do I feel about the bathrooms? While these are important questions, they are not the only questions you should be asking.
It’s also important that you think about the backyard. A backyard is a space where you can go to relax, host parties, or let your kids play. You don’t want to make it an afterthought, or you could wind up regretting your home purchase. So, with that in mind, here are a few things you should look for when considering the backyard of a potential home.
Space for Your Kids
If you have kids, this is one of the first things you’ll want to think about. Will your future backyard be a safe space for them? Will they have plenty of room to run around? Is there anything back there – such as a jungle-gym – that comes with the house? Your kids will probably use the backyard the most for the first years of your home, so you’ll want to find a place that has a yard they can enjoy. Keep in mind that even if the yard isn’t perfect at the moment, you may be able to fix it up enough for your kids.
Cost of Upkeep
The next thing you’ll want to think about is any costs associated with maintaining your backyard. For example, if the home comes with a pool, you’ll have to spend money on upkeep. There are costs to clean the pool, refill the water, add chemicals, etc. It may not be much compared to the cost of the house, but it’s something you’ll want to think about.
There are some other costs you’ll want to consider as well. Does it come with a big lawn? That’s a lot of mowing you’ll need to do. If you do it yourself, the cost comes in the form of time. The same goes for if your yard is surrounded by a lot of trees. That’s a lot of clean up in the fall, and something you should think about when judging a home.
Easy Access to the Yard
How easy is it to get to your yard? Is the main door on the side of the home, and you’ll need to walk a long distance just to get to your patio? Is there a fence around the yard, or a gate that you need to open in order to get in? Ideally you want to find a yard that is easy for you to get to, but also offers you some protection from unwanted visitors.
You should also think about the ease your movers will have getting into the yard. If you have large pieces ofoutdoor furniture that need to go into this backyard, but only a small entrance into the yard, you may have some difficulties. Before you move in, it’s a good idea to talk to your movers and make sure there won’t be any problems. For more information on how movers handle situations like this, check out this site – www.aandamoving.com.
Signs of Problems with the Yard
Next, you’ll want to look for any signs that there might be a problem with the yard. For instance, if it’s the middle of Spring, and all of the trees in the yard are bare, you might have dead trees. It will be an additional cost to remove them, so you’ll want to factor this in.
Or, you may want to visit the home after a particularly heavy rain fall. Does the backyard flood? Does the ground slope in a way that you get large puddles in one section of the yard? It’s not always easy to tell this information before you buy the house, but if you can figure it out, you’ll be better off.
How Much Work You’ll Have to Do
Finally, you’ll want to think about how much work you’ll have to put in. Does the deck need staining? Does the patio need replacing? Are all of the bushes around the yard dying? Think about what you want this backyard to look like, then decide how much work it’s going to take to get it there. You may find that it’s not worth all of the effort and money you’ll need to put in.
If you can do all of the above, you should find that you are better able to judge the quality of the backyard. While your focus will still likely be on the inside of the house, it’s still good to pay attention to the backyard and make sure you’re getting something you’ll enjoy.
