If you were a first time home buyer, what items would you want to start, etc?

[iris lily]

What is more and more important to me now personally is outside the house - what is the yard like? Are there any trees/mature landscaping? How large is the lot and how much food can I realistically expect to grow on the lot? There are all kinds of goodies I'd love to have inside the house, too, that I have never had, but I'm of the opinion that that America is fading now for many out there and maybe it's best to focus on what is practical/feasible/sustainable? Growing my own food sure feels empowering! Rob

I think I am coming to that point, too--I could buy a white box if it were perfectly situated--walkable location, adequate acreage and situated correctly on that acreage and the right smallish square footage of house.

But then I look at the interior of houses of 1970 - 2000's and I can't grok living there unless it was a luxury house of the time (which I can't afford.) Midwestern houses of the 70's - 00's are SO not attractive to me. But I do like 1960's ranches, especially when they have original bathrooms and kitchens, and I suppose the older I get, the more attractive those 1970's houses will be.

[JaneV2.0]

I have a late seventies' house, custom-designed for an idiot (with a huge deck that I only used to fill the bird feeders, but that didn't stop it from rotting. One thing my next house will not have is a deck). If I had a handy bone in my body, I could probably do something with it, but it was sited poorly (to take the absolute least possible advantage of the view) and it would probably take a complete renovation. Something for the rant thread.

So, in conclusion--I need a house well-designed for my needs because I'm too old to become a rehabber, and well-situated in a pleasant area. What do you think your nephew is looking for in a house? The typical real estate would say "location, location, location."

[Rosemary]

The most important thing to me is peace and quiet outside. We always check out the yard first. If I can hear traffic or if a neighbor has a super-annoying dog, we look elsewhere. Yeah, the dog thing can always change either way - but there are enough houses on the market to not have to deal with that.

Other items of importance:
- outdoor space for vegetables and drying clothes
- some form of storage space (we have a smallish house and not much storage space. It limits stuff. However, realistically, we still need a place to keep touch-up paint, holiday decorations, and out-of-season items (snow stuff in summer, bikes in winter).
- a workable kitchen. Not closed up - they get too hot. Not so open that there's no cabinets, either.

and VERY importantly:
CROSS-VENTILATION. Must have windows that can air out the house from front to back or side to side.

[larknm]

I'm with Tammy and gimmethesimplelife, but if you mean a thing to give, I'm for the tree.

[ToomuchStuff]

When I started to ask, I was thinking as a person, starting out, normally one has nothing and what order and needs, did you accumulate.
While I was posting that, my thoughts, kind of went to how my brother, parents and myself, have all been putting some items aside for him, to give him a head start.
Reminded me of me (I went from nothing, to owning a home and having it almost fully furnished in six months, due to a death and buying my home). It was actually cheaper for me to buy, then rent, but sometimes I wonder if I had done things different.....
I will pass along the home suggestions, if he asks, but I know he is looking for more of a home (could be a dump), on property (future build potential), more then just the house (and in a certain area of the country he grew up in).

Neither of us, ever dealt with roommate scenario's, etc.

[Gardenarian]

When looking for a house, location was of course the top priority. Now I would be looking at things that make a house low maintenance and energy efficient.
That would mean a solid foundation and walls to start with. High-quality scrubbable paint (semi-gloss/eggshell) throughout the house, well-made double paned windows, solid surface floors in good condition, Hardiplank siding (or similar), zone heating (gas, propane, or wood), adequate closet size and fittings to make them practical, smooth surface kitchen cabinets, a large entry, garage or workroom if needed, on-demand hot water, etc. Enough bathrooms, with all fixtures in prime condition. I would evaluate the landscape and soil for my needs.

As far as as furnishings go, the fewer the better. I'd be happy with floor cushions and a low table, or more conventionally, a sturdy table and chairs. A good set of sheets and towels. A cleaning kit would be nice - just vinegar, baking soda, liquid castile soap, and some microfiber towels. Basic tools. Some cast iron pans, a few stainless pots, a few knives, a cutting board.

I wish someone had told me that your don't need to set up your house all at once - it's okay not to have a sofa and chairs and dressers and mug racks and vases and all the myriad things you think you need when you have a house. And I wish someone had given me some good advice on window treatments - if I did it over I would have wood cornices and blinds for every window. And to choose a couple of colors and stick with them.

[Rogar]

We are all different in what are the most desirable traits for a home. I bought my first not all that long ago and made a list of things I would most like to have arranged in order of importance. I think neighborhood was very high on my list. I was looking for a slight fixer-upper to save money and have gradually upgraded with personal preferences. I think most people will want to personalize a few things, and new interior paint is probably one of the easiest and I think is sort of fun. I added a new efficient air conditioner, new windows, a wood burning fireplace insert, and additional insulation as I could afford it to make the home more energy efficient.

Retrospectively, I would really have liked to have brick or low maintenance siding. Exterior painting is a big and sort of difficult job, or expensive. Plus it needs to be done with some regularity. Also, a lot of the older homes like mine do not have an eat in kitchen. I have a more formal dining space, but it is really not conducive for informal gatherings and discussions.

[Spartana]

Oh! Well, if he's house-hunting and wondering what he should really look for in a house, the most important thing I would suggest is double sinks in the master bedroom's bathroom! Even if he's not married yet, chances are he may become so, and separate sinks are a HUGE peacekeeping force in marriage!

Oh no, if he is married he should look for 2 separate bathrooms! I am of the firm belief that separate bathrooms have saved many marriages :-)!

Now-ex dh and I actually got too big a place (and yes we had 2 bathrooms - and even that didn't save the marriage :-)!). It wasn't so much the size of the house - only about 1000sf with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths - but the lot was huge. It took a lot of work to upkeep as did the old fixer-upper-house (those things pretty much doomed the marriage - too much time focusing on the albatross house instead of having fun with each other). So my suggestion is to find a house that is "just the right size" for what he needs today and focus less on what he "may" need at some distant future. He can always up grade if needed or expand. Of course if he enjoys working on a place (dh and I both thought we did and we didn't) then none of that may matter to him.

But other than that location was most important. An easy commute to work - preferable somewhere with a good transit system or bike paths oif I didn't want to drive. Somewhere close to the amenities and recreational stuff that were important to me - ocean, lakes, mountains, rivers, forests, good off road bike paths around the area, city stuff nearby, etc... Utility costs and property taxes should also be important since those can add a big hunk of expenses to your housing bill each month - and are generally increasing.