FINDING THE RIGHT HOME TO BUY Just because you may feel restricted by price ranges -- especially if this is your first or second home purchase -- don't let anybody tell you that you can't afford to be choosy when looking for a home to buy! You are unique. You have desires and needs, hopes and dreams for your new home that are different from your parent's, friend's or coworker's. OK? So let's get busy defining these homebuying parameters and writing them down.
Location & Neighborhood
• Suburbs or Country.
Pros: Generally less expensive. Often newer. Tract homes are conforming. More home for the money.
Cons: More time in traffic if driving to town for work. Further away from entertainment options cities offer.
• Urban.
Pros: Closer to many employers. Walking distance to theaters, restaurants, schools. Many period homes offer more distinctiveness in styles.
Cons: Often noisier. Higher crime rates. More expensive.
• Busy Streets.
Pros: Often homes on streets with more traffic are thousands of dollars cheaper. If noise doesn't bother you, don't pass up homes on busy streets. Drive by at different times of the day / week to ascertain noise levels.
Cons: These types of homes will always sell for less than others in the same area. If bedrooms are located near the front of the home, sleep may be disturbed.
• Cul de sac.
Pros: Number one choice of buyers with children.
Cons: Less privacy, neighbors know more about you.
• Corner lots.
Pros: Often larger lots. Fewer neighbors. More visibility.
Cons: More traffic noise. More vulnerable to vehicles jumping the curb. Kids might trespass at the corner. More sidewalk to shovel in winter.
Type of Home
• Single Family.
Pros: Good appreciation. Opportunity for gardens. More privacy. Quieter.
Cons: More expensive than our next category. More maintenance.
• Condos, Townhomes, Cooperatives.
Pros: Less expensive than comparable single-family homes. Generally newer so fewer repairs. Lock-n-go lifestyle. No yard or exterior maintenance.
Cons: Less privacy. Noisier. Common walls and/or floors and ceilings. Sometimes no private yard or balcony.
Number of Stories
• Single Story.
Pros: Easy wheelchair access. Some medical conditions such as bad knees make it hard for certain individuals to climb stairs. Easier to clean.
Cons: Can be noisier if stereos or televisions are located on the same floor as bedrooms. Some people feel safety is compromised if bedrooms are located at ground level. More of the lot is absorbed by living quarters.
• More than One Story.
Pros: More living space on same foundation than a ranch home. Less noise if entertaining on lower level while other family members sleep upstairs.
Cons: More trips up and down the stairs to carry stuff to bedrooms. If laundry rooms are on the second floor, washer leaks are major. Might need dual vacuum cleaners. It is difficult to maintain consistent temperatures on each level without dual heating and cooling units.
• Split Levels.
Pros: Often less expensive if purchased with lower level unfinished. Higher ceilings are appealing. Downstairs family room separates noise levels from upstairs. More square footage on same size lots as ranch homes.
Cons: Less storage space. Hassle to take trash downstairs and carry groceries upstairs or vice versa. Kitchens tend to be smaller.
Interior Specifications
• Number of Bedrooms.
Pros: Common minimum requested configurations are 3 bedrooms. Newer parents prefer bedrooms located on one level.
Cons: 2 bedrooms appeal primarily to first-time home buyers, singles or seniors. However, don't discount a two bedroom if an extra den will satisfy your space requirements.
• Number of Bathrooms.
Pros: More than one bath is preferred by most people. One bath homes are often less expensive.
Cons: Don't pass up a one bath home is there is room to add a second bath. Sometimes it costs less to put in an extra bath than it does to buy a two-bath home.
• Square Footage.
Pros: larger spaces offer more room and cost less per square foot than smaller spaces.
Cons: Don't be misled as lay-out is more important than actual square footage. Sometimes well designed smaller spaces appear larger.
• Bonus Rooms.
Pros: Extra spaces for media rooms, art studios, children's playrooms, gyms, den/study.
Cons: More expensive.
Tips for Real Estate Investment in Nigeria >> The global economy is gradually picking up after a world wide recession. The economic meltdown, which shook western economies devastated investors, individuals and institutional alike. Its aftershock is still being felt all around the globe and also in e By: Joy 27,May 2013 Read more... Comments(0)
Selling Your Property >> Selling your property and making big profit can look very daunting but there are some few tricks that if employed will not only sell your property fast , but help in making big profit . By: Joy 24,April 2013 Read more... Comments(0)
What Can I Buy Around Ajah? >> Like it or not, Ajah is a key location on the Lekki axis and one of the most popular at that. As Lekki gets more expensive generally by the day, Akintunde Seriki picks out what you can purchase for less than N25m around Ajah. By: Goodlife Admin 30/07/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Middle Class Options in Maryland >> If your budget is between N50m and N75m, Maryland could be a location of choice for you. Akintunde Seriki examines the array of different properties you can find within the price band and what may influence your final choice. By: Goodlife Admin 24/07/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Rent Assurance Policy >> Landlord and tenant problems are quite rife in the country these days,with the consistent downturn of the economic situation. By: Goodlife Admin 17/07/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
LSDPC Bungalows in Surulere >> Considering the repair works starting on the 3rd Mainland Bridge, Akintunde Seriki looks at two LSDPC bungalows in Surulere which will bring you closer to the Island through another route. They are alike in that they were formerly built for civil servant By: Vivian Otusi 4/7/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Ikoyi Lagos Nigeria - An Upper Middle Class Neigbourhood >> Ikoyi occupies the eastern half of Lagos Island in Nigeria and lies at the edge of the Lagos Lagoon. It is one of the towns that make up the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos state.
By: GoodLife Promotions 25/06/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Multi-bedroom mansions on the mainland >> Buying houses with many bedrooms may be expected of only people with so much money to burn – the super-rich, but from our research, there are quite a number of such houses below N50m. Normally, these houses often come with price tags in hundreds of milli By: Vivian Otusi 19/06/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Ikorodu Satellite Town >> The Ikorodu Satellite Town, a project of HAON Properties Limited in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, is a high density, low rise affordable housing development located in Igbogbo. By: GoodLife Promotions 12/6/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Ikorodu Satellite Town >> The Ikorodu Satellite Town, a project of HAON Properties Limited in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Housing, is a high density, low rise affordable housing development located in Igbogbo. By: GoodLife Promotions 12/6/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Prices of Ikoyi estates rise again! >> There is evidence that prices of estates in Ikoyi have reached the levels attained before the burst years of 2008 -2009. The challenge is that no one seems to know why.
By: Vivian otusi 4/06/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
New Building Practices that Save Cost & Time >> This week, we bring you innovative building designs that not only catch the eye but are also cost and labour efficient. From as low as N3.7m these buildings are also very quick to build with some completely constructed in just about two weeks. Dipo Afola By: Vivian otusi 31/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
New Building Practices that Save Cost & Time >> This week, we bring you innovative building designs that not only catch the eye but are also cost and labour efficient. From as low as N3.7m these buildings are also very quick to build with some completely constructed in just about two weeks. Dipo Afola By: Vivian otusi 31/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Short Let Apartments, popular in Property Market >> Until recently, most Nigerian real estate investors seem oblivious of the huge commercial potentials in short lets – an alternative to hotel accommodation, and a type of housing where fully serviced apartments are rented out to business guests, or family By: Goodlife admin 25/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Affordable Housing: in Jibowu/Yaba/Ebute Metta Axis of Lagos >> Due to many factors that ranges from commercial; educational and particularly, the locality’s easy access to other parts of the Lagos metropolis, the Jibowu/Yaba/Ebute Metta axis of Lagos will forever remain a hot hub as far as the property market in Lag By: Vivian otusi 22/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Affordable Housing in Lagos >> Buoyed by the demands of property seekers who crave affordable, but decent properties around the Ipaja/Egbeda/Ikotun axis of the Lagos metropolis.Here is our findings. By: Vivian otusi 18/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
What Can I Rent? - Flats under N400,000 on the Mainland >> Renting apartments on the mainland could get very tasking for people on a tight budget. Gone are the days of getting an three bedroom flat for N75,000 in nice locations. By: Vivian otusi 14/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Lekki Phase 1: Left or Right, where should you choose? >> Lekki Phase 1, one of the upscale neighbourhoods on the Island, is divided straight through by the Lekki-Epe Expressway into the right hand side and the more popular left hand side. Both segments command prices that mark the whole of Lekki 1 as a high cl By: Vivian otusi 11/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
The 3.7 million naira house. >> Apart from making money many feel architecture should be able to make life better. Unfortunately many residential buildings designed by Nigerian architects tend to be very monotonous. By: Goodlife Promotions 08/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
The 3.7 million naira house >> Apart from making money many feel architecture should be able to make life better. Unfortunately many residential buildings designed by Nigerian architects tend to be very monotonous. By: Goodlife Promotions 08/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
The 3.7 million naira house >> Apart from making money many feel architecture should be able to make life better. Unfortunately many residential buildings designed by Nigerian architects tend to be very monotonous. By: Goodlife Promotions 08/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
LASG starts over 1,000 flats in central areas of Lagos >> As the Lagos State Government starts new building projects in various locations around the state, both property investors and owner occupiers will be looking forward to exciting opportunities that will be presented on completion By: Goodlife Promotions 07/05/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
The Bridge that will turn Lekki 1 into Victoria Island >> The Lekki- Ikoyi is a marvel of engineering but it’s more than concrete and reinforcement. It means that Ikoyi will be barely five minutes’ drive from Lekki Phase 1 By: Goodlife 4/5/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
How To Save Costs On Your Building Projects >> It’s generally accepted that building your house is generally cheaper than purchasing a fully developed building. However, if care is not taken, you could through lack of experience end up spending more on such projects. By: Fakile Wale 10/4/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Succour For Illegal Owners Of Govt. Land >> Over time, the government acquires some portions of land in different parts of the state which might be put to different uses as it deem fit. But at times, these plots are being sold by supposed owners (omoonile) to unsuspecting members of the public. By: Fakile Wale 1/3/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Questions To Ask Before Purchasing A Property >> When viewing a prospective property, it is advisable to take a prudent look at the different parts of the property be it a house or an estate as this would serve as a guideline on whether you will or will not acquire it. By: Fakile Wale 21/2/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Price Catalog For Building Materials At January 2012 >> For the layman out there who is not a real estate expert, there are tendencies of falling victim of unscrupulous marketers and dealers of building materials when trying to construct a home or any type of building at that. By: Fakile Wale 8/2/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Price Catalog For Building Materials At January 2012 >> For the layman out there who is not a real estate expert, there are tendencies of falling victim of unscrupulous marketers and dealers of building materials when trying to construct a home or any type of building at that. By: Fakile Wale
Four Hot Areas To Invest In 2012 >> 2011 was relatively slow in the real estate sector partly because of the general elections and also the late implementation of the 2011 budget. Although after the elections, cash flowed and investors were able to buy properties. By: Fakile Wale 26/1/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
The 2012 Budget And Real Estate >> Late last year, December precisely, a budget of N4.749 trillion was presented to the house of assembly for the year 2012 by President, Goodluck Ebere Jonathan. The figure showed a six percent increase over the N4.484 appropriated for the 2011 fiscal yea By: Fakile Wale 20/1/2012 Read more... Comments(0)
Governor Fashola presents his plans for real estate in 2012 >> The Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola in his budget speech last week revealed important policies that will shape real estate in 2012. Here are excerpts from the speech that affect the sector. By: Obidike Okafor 21/12/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
Why Owning A Property In Festac Could Make You Rich >> While Festac town provides one of the most properly planned neighborhoods in Lagos state, it would not be unfounded to conclude that the town has proved to be a gold mine for those that bought properties there a few years back.
CBN Releases Guidelines for Housing / Mortgage Banks >> The Other Financial Institutions Department (OFID) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last week announced a new guideline for mortgage operations in the country. The new guidelines is in concordance with the proposed housing/mortgage finance reform a By: Fakile Wale 28/11/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
Key Constraints To Real Estate >> Real estate has continued to play a significant role in man’s evolution.It is not a coincidence that food, shelter and clothing believed to be the three essentials
that sustain mankind, also have some linkage to land.
By: Joy Itsosime 16/11/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
BALCONY RAILINGS AND THEIR IMPORTANCE >> There are some places in the home which needs extreme protection. They are balcony, staircase and other outdoor spaces in the home. By: Akindolie Abisayo 26/10/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
Messrs SC&B Carlton Unveils ₦850m Estate >> Messrs SC&B Carlton, has embarked on a new project in Surulere area of Lagos Mainland Estate. The proposed estate called SC&B Carlton Estate is a 7,529.512 square metres (sqm) landed property is located at highbrow Census Close, off Babs Animashaun Stree By: Oluwole Obafemi 11/10/11 Read more... Comments(0)
Real Estate,one of the best business in Nigeria >> Nothing compares to Real Estate Investment Opportunities in Nigeria if you have enough money to engage in it. There are many business opportunist but so far property investment in Nigeria brings back your capital with profits sooner compared to other bus By: Oluwole Obafemi 01/08/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
Top 10 Time Management Rules of Successful Real Estate Salespeople >> Throughout the world, real estate salespeople who continually achieve high levels of performance are also expert in time management skills. The ability of a real estate agent to manage his or her time, more than any other single factor, will determine th By: Abimbola Scott 31/05/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
What You Should Know Before Buying a Home. >> If you don't plan to live out your days at this address, think about how long you might like to stay, and what the real estate forecast for that area might be like in a few years.
BUILDING ADVICE >> Like I always say, real estate investment is one of the most lucrative investments all over the world; the reason much attention must be put into the property. By: Leke Adebiyi 20/04/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
HOME INSPECTION >> There is a very pertinent factor that comes to play when selling, buying or renting real estate properties; this factor is called home inspection. By: Leke Adebiyi 12/04/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
LOCATION THE KEY TO PROPERTY APPRECIATION >> Real estate investment is an investment in properties (i.e. landed properties and buildings) which is supposed to deliver higher return on investment. By: Leke Adebiyi 05/04/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
SECURE YOUR FUTURE WITH REAL ESTATE >> You all must have gotten tired of hearing about the magnanimous benefits associated to investing in real estate within the Nigerian terrain and even all over the world. By: Leke Adebiyi 30/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES IN LAGOS!!! >> Real estate opportunities are boundless in the Nigerian terrain. The Nigerian real estate industry, most especially in the Lagos metropolis is a fast money making investment. Hence it is a known fact that there is no better way to invest your money and i By: Leke Adebiyi 25/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
BECOMING A REAL ESTATE AGENT >> Are you thinking of starting new business? Are you tired of being an employee and would like to be on your own? Then you should take the next couple of minutes to read this article, because this might just be what you have been waiting for. By: Leke Adebiyi 22/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
BECOMING A REAL ESTATE AGENT >> Are you thinking of starting new business? Are you tired of being an employee and would like to be on your own? Then you should take the next couple of minutes to read this article, because this might just be what you have been waiting for. By: Leke Adebiyi 22/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
HIGH RENT AND SOLUTIONS >> The problem of housing in Lagos is one of the greatest problems in the state, as it is known that Lagos is the most populous state in Nigeria and it is the commercial nerve of the country, hence this has piled up pressure on a lot of things like the basi By: Leke Adebiyi 17/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
REAL ESTATE MARKETING >> Investing in real estate presents the best and most effective way of making huge profit on investment. Prices of real estate property seem to go up in a geometric progression, which enables for up to 300% profit within the span of five years. By: Leke Adebiyi 14/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
LAGOS: REAL ESTATE HAVEN >> Lagos as we all know is one of the most important regions in the whole of Nigeria, owing to the fact that it is the commercial nerve of the country. As a result if these there are a huge influx of people who come into Lagos to make ends meet. By: Leke Adebiyi 03/03/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
INTERNET ADVERTISING THE KEY TO EFFICIENT PROPERTY SALE. >> The importance of advertising cannot be over-emphasized; advertisement provides precise information on how buyers and sellers of any product can meet for transaction. By: Leke Adebiyi 25/02/2011 Read more... Comments(1)
REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT >> Real estate management involves the art of efficiently and effectively management of real estate. Nigerians generally have a poor attitude to property management. Most property owners do not take their time in taking care of their properties or finding By: Leke Adebiyi 17/02/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
TIPS ON BUYING A HOUSE >> Buying a house in Lagos, even in Nigeria at large is quite difficult and different from buying a house in the more developed countries. By: leke adebiyi 10/2/2011 Read more... Comments(0)
LEKKI BUSINESS DISTRICT >> WTES Ltd intends to develop a 10.9hectare site at the Lekki Maiyegun Tourism zone into a modern
market.
The project is part of a 61.08 hectares mixed development known as Lekki Business District.
FIXING A FOUNDATION CRACK >> If you have small hairline crack...if the cracks have opened,...a large foundation crack By: Naomi Moremi Lucas 03/09/10 Read more... Comments(0)
Clean Up Cracks. >> Concrete is nice smooth and hard, until water gets to it. By: Naomi Moremi Lucas 01/9/10 Read more... Comments(0)
Choosing An Estate Agent >> A good estate agent would not only save you a lot of short run and long run trouble but she would make a big difference.... By: Naomi Moremi Lucas 20/07/2010 Read more... Comments(0)