It is said that a home is an extension of an individual’s personality. Choosing the right property depends on one’s sense of style and preference. In most cases, they want their home to stand out compared to others just like it. That’s why certain home improvements are made to give homes a touch of the owner’s personality.
However, there is a certain group of people who prefer to stand out from the pack a bit more. These people are the ones who are into homes with a distinctly unique look. They want their homes to really stand from the rest.
If you’re one of those brave souls who are looking at owning a very unique home, you may want to take a look at some of the things you need to seriously consider before taking the plunge.
9 Considerations When Buying a Unique House
- Repairs
Contrary to what first-time unique-house hunters think, repairs on a unique house will cost differently compared to a regular house.
For example, if the house you live in is a replica of Captain Hook’s ship, you can expect that a window replacement will not involve a quick hardware run. You need to place an order for a custom-made replacement and wait a few more days before you can get it installed.
You also need to consider that the cost of having it custom-made will be more than a typical window you can easily get from a hardware store.
- Renovation
Similarly, renovations will take more money and time on unique homes. If you live in a nursery-rhyme-inspired shoe house, the structural design is a lot different from that of a regular home. It is engineered differently and requires custom-made parts and materials to maintain its structural integrity.
On top of that, your home might be located in a place where zoning can cause some problems and delays in the renovation process.
- Resistance from neighbors
One thing about unique homes is they can either add or take away value to a neighborhood, depending on how it looks. If your home is an architectural wonder close to the works of Antonio Gaudi or Frank Lloyd Wright, it can be a great addition to any neighborhood. However, if your home is a 3,000-square-foot seashell, it might cause some ire among your neighbors which could end up in protests, petitions, and lots of bad blood.
- Changes in lifestyle
Unique homes may also force you to make some lifestyle changes. For instance, if you’re very much into the tiny house movement, you need to prepare yourself for a life of minimalism, which could be hard if you’re used to owning a lot of stuff. You also need to consider what your life will be like for the next 5 to 10 years.
If you’re a single person when you moved into your tiny house, do you see yourself still living the bachelor/bachelorette life or do you see yourself as being married and starting a family?
- Selling
One of the challenges of owning a unique home is when it comes to selling your property. Typically, unique homes stay on the market quite longer than ordinary houses. It is a niche market and not all those who are looking for a unique home have the same taste as yours.
- Finding a lender
One of the things that make it hard to acquire a unique home is finding a lender who is willing to give you a loan. Lenders are quite particular when it comes to a home’s resale value. The mortgage process is streamlined for most homes but since you’re looking at a unique home, the process and the mortgage rate will be unique, too.
- Inspection
Similarly, finding the right inspector is also an important part of unique home acquisition. Typical home inspectors have a checklist that outlines all the standard things to look for in a house. An upside-down house may require the services of an inspector who specializes in special houses as the requirements are also completely different, just like your house.
- Insurance
If looking for lenders and inspectors are challenging, you can also expect the same thing when it comes to looking for the right insurance provider. You need to understand that insuring a bungalow is much different from insuring a house built underwater.
If you’re the buyer, ask the home seller who their insurance provider is and the details of their policy, if they don’t mind. This could give you an idea of where to start looking.
- Appraisal
Just like in getting your house insured and inspected, getting it appraised will also pose some unique challenges. Appraisers typically compare properties to other similar structures to come up with an accurate value. Without anything to compare your unique house to, it will be harder to get it appraised.
These are just some of the things that you need to carefully and thoughtfully look into if you’re thinking of buying a nontraditional house. However, if that’s what you really want to do, don’t let anything deter you. At the end of the day, your home should be an extension of you, regardless of how it looks. As long as you’re willing to commit to it and own up to it, then go for it.
Happy house hunting!
Meta title: What to Consider When Buying a Weirdly Wonderful Home
Meta description: If you’re thinking of buying or building a unique home, here are some things you need to consider.
