Purchasing a home is one of the most exciting milestones in life, particularly if it’s a first home. There’s no denying it can be stressful - with the money involved and the time it takes to search through property week by week. One thing that can help you narrow down the search is a home buyer’s checklist.

What you can do is create a checklist of all of the things you are looking for in a home, and list them in order of importance. As a suggestion this might include:

• Type of Home – house, apartment or condo 
• Number of bedrooms
• Proximity to transportation, schools and shops
• Size/type of yard – grass, courtyard, etc.
• Condition of kitchen/bathroom (these are important rooms that are used regularly every day)
• Noise proximity – close to main roads or airports
• Room to grow or expand the house
• Possibility of renovation
• Suitability for children and pets

Another thing that it can pay to consider is the security and location of the home. These factors can influence what you pay for the homeowners insurance Virginia residents need, as they are risk factors that insurers consider.

A home with good security features such as deadbolts, alarms and security screens is considered less of a risk than one without; and a home in a low-crime area represents a much lower risk to an insurer than one in a neighborhood where burglaries are common. Choosing a home that is more secure can mean cheaper insurance premiums.

Once you do commit to the purchase, establish the date on which you’ll become responsible for insuring the home and ensure that you have the proper Fairfax insurance in place before then.