Going out to buy a new home can be a daunting task, and it is usually also very exhilarating. Often, when a new homebuyer is looking for the right home, they can overlook some of the important details. It’s easy to get distracted from some of the items that you need to remember, particularly if the house has a couple of really stand out features. We’ve compiled this checklist for you to take with you as you go out looking for new homes: keep it with you, and check each item off or write comments as you look. It will really come in handy when you get back home and go for a cold analysis of what you saw!

Pen and paper. You will want to have the details of the home you looked at in your head later, and even the best memories don’t register everything. Bringing a pen and paper will help you to record how you really felt about the home. One thing that always seems to happen is that homebuyers will notice a smell when they walk into a home, but forget about it as they grow accustomed. Even faint smells may indicate a problem, so make sure and write that down so you don’t forget!

Note the condition of the home. Dirty homes or ones with obvious maintenance issues on the surface probably have the same issues with their systems. A house that isn’t well kept up in terms of cleanliness likely will not have had regular attention to the electricity or plumbing either.

Check the systems! By the same token, make sure that you check all the plumbing, heating, and electrical systems as thoroughly as possible. House value is often decided on aesthetics alone, and you don’t want to buy a house that is nicely staged to cover up some issues with the systems. Check to see how old the furnace and hot water tank are so that you don’t have to replace them right away.

Do you have time? A huge number of first time home buyers will go for a house they term a “fixer upper”. The cut in price for these houses can make them very appealing, but you need to be very honest with yourself; between work, hobbies, and family, do you really have the time it will take to make all the necessary changes? It’s really hard to stay on track once you have moved in!

So remember, keep your eyes open when viewing your potential new home for any flaws no matter how small.