Here are a list of things that first home buyers should be aware with and get set for.

1. Save.
Like, seriously, save. A lot. This is pretty hard I know, but start putting money away (I found having a different account helped). Just tuck it away, and keep it going. Don’t spend money you don’t have. That means leave the credit card behind. You still have to have fun, but research cheaper ways to do it.

2. Kiwisaver

Have a look and see what grants etc. you can get from Kiwisaver. If you’re buying with your significant other, see what they can get and pool it all together. You might be able to get $5,000 each if buying an exiting home, or $10,000 if building. That’s up to $20,000! Free! Check to see if you’re eligible.

3. Pre Approval

Before you go out and start shopping, shop around banks and get pre-approved. This has two effects. Firstly, it makes real estate salespeople nicer. They like to know you have the ball rolling. Secondly, it let’s you know what price brackets to search in. Make sure to use that filter on the likes of Trademe.co.nz and realestate.co.nz.

4. Be Realistic

That’s right – it might be a hard pill to swallow, but your first home isn’t going to be as nice as your parents. That takes years of work – it’s likely not to be a beach side mansion. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of it. It’s going to be YOUR home! That’s pretty awesome. You can tweak it and decorate it as you go. Make it yours.

5. Must Have List

Write a must have list so you know what you require in a house. This is not a “I want list” – you will find that is a much larger list, and harder to find the right home for you! Easiest way to do this is right down 10 things it must have, then rank them against each other. If it came down to having 4 bedrooms, or 2 bathrooms, which wins?

6. Compromise

Once you have this list, that is a great place to start! But don’t get locked into it. Make sure you’re open to different ideas and options. After all, we are not all knowing! Perhaps something will come along that doesn’t have things you wanted, but could have in the future with a bit of work.

7. Look for Room to Improve

One way to make your home really yours is renovations. This has two effects if done correctly; makes it yours and more personal, and adds value. Now who doesn’t want to add value to their home? Before carrying these out though, make sure to have a chat to someone who knows what they are doing – don’t over capitalise.

8. Have Your Team Ready.

Who is in your team? Make sure you have your mortgage broker, solicitor and building inspector all lined up! if you don’t have these sorted, then putting an offer in is fine, but then the deadline starts ticking and you may not be comfortable with who you pick when you’re under pressure. Of course your friends and family are also on this team! Bring them along and get their eyes on the property!

9. Due Diligence.

What is this? Probably one of the most important things to do when buying. It means to check the ins and outs of the property to make sure you know everything you need to. Is it in a flood zone? Is it zoned for dense housing and is currently 900 sqm? What about the building condition? Meth? Unfortunately Meth is a big one. It does cost a little extra to get this tested, but do check it out. A lot of building inspectors can now test for this as well. Your solicitor can help with all of this. You’re not alone!

10. Brace for disappointment.

As unhappy as this final one is – it is a reality. Chances are you’re not going to get that first home you see, or the first one you fall in love with. We aren’t saying to not get excited or get your hopes up – but there will be bits of disappointment here and there. If buying with your other half – work through it together. You’re in the same boat.

We hope you find an awesome first home!

People have different needs, depending on their age, interests and life experience, says Emma. For an older couple she installed a doorless shower without a threshold, and a bench seat outside the alcove.

For another couple, she slid a bath into the main bedroom, concealing it under a window seat so they could bathe with a view.

Emma says people shouldn’t be afraid of splitting up the bathroom’s functions. For instance you could have a separate wet room for the shower, with the vanities outside the bathroom.

“It comes down to the user’s needs and the spaces you have to work with.”

So what are the latest must-haves in bathroom renovations and what are simply unnecessary extras? We asked the experts for some advice.

The architect’s answers

Do you need to install double showers and double vanities?

“Get a clear idea of how the household functions and whether it really is necessary,” Emma says.

Is an in-built cistern better than a freestanding loo?

“It can reduce cleaning and give the illusion of space, but you can also buy streamlined toilets that are easy to clean.”

Do I need a bathtub?

“Well, do you have baths and do you have space?”

How do I select a colour scheme?

“Consider the bathroom in terms of your preferences, the whole house and its location,” says Emma. She specified yellow for the bathroom ceiling in an Anglesea house in a landscape where the wattle bursts with colour, and used a concrete vanity to reflect a client’s travels to Sri Lanka.

What the agent says

Bathrooms can be a deal breaker when it comes to selling your house, says Matt Russell of First National Real Estate. “Bathrooms can really put people off a home if they are in the wrong spot or will be costly to fix.”

What do buyers want?

Expectations differ depending on the price point, Jarrod says. “At the higher end of the market, people expect double vanities, double showers to a degree, frameless shower screens and spa baths.”

On the other hand, first home buyers have flexible expectations. “As long as it is nice, light and bright, a single vanity is fine and a bath with a shower is great,” Jarrod says.

Bath time

“There was a trend towards removing baths some three or four years ago, but now everyone wants one,” Jarrod says. “Freestanding baths are very popular. Even if they don’t use the bath, buyers want a bathtub for resale.”

Double up

“Double showers provide the wow factor, although some buyers feel they take up too much space.”

Heads first

“People can be wowed by the big round or square shower heads, but it’s not a deal breaker.”

Statement piece

“Wall cisterns are something people would absolutely love. But it’s a high-end finish and we haven’t seen many in the mainstream. People have to decide if they are going to spend an extra $1000.”

Tile style

Floor-to-ceiling tiles are becoming more and more popular, Jarrod says, most likely thanks to the boom in TV renovation shows. “People used to tile around the shower and bath, only to a certain point.”

Credit: Domain.com.au