Tips For Buying A Desert Home

Buying a home in the desert is tricky if you don't know what to look out for. The desert climate can damage a home if it isn't properly designed or constructed. Even the quality of life in a desert home will be determined by the house's design, construction, and features. Confirm these four things before looking at desert homes for sale:

The House Is Constructed from the Right Material

The construction material is very important when it comes to desert properties. For example, a typical desert experience high temperatures during the day and low temperatures during the night. Therefore, it's best to avoid materials that can be damaged by constant expansion and contraction due to temperature changes. This means, for example, that desert houses shouldn't be constructed from wood since wood can easily warp under a high-temperature exposure. Desert winds and rain will also deteriorate a wooden construction faster than normal.

The HVAC System Is Adequate

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system must also be adequately sized for the house. Living in a house with inadequate heating and cooling is bad in any region. It's even worse if the region experiences extremely low and high temperatures, which is the case with a desert. Since HVAC evaluation isn't something that a novice can handle, you should rely on your home inspection's report before making up your mind.

The Home's Construction Is Energy Saving

In most homes, the heating and cooling energy account for the largest share of energy consumption. Expect this percentage to be even higher if you are living in a desert. This means you are looking at a gigantic energy bill every month if you are living in a desert and your house isn't constructed to be energy efficient. Here are some signs that a desert house is energy efficient:

• The house has ceiling fans
• The house has deep overhangs
• The house (roof and exterior) is painted in light colors
• The flooring material help to keep the house cool (marble and cement are good options)

The Landscaping Fits the Area         

Lastly, the landscaping should be appropriate for the weather conditions. This means there should be a generous use of non-vegetative landscaping materials such as rocks and gravel. The existing vegetation should also be hardy and drought resistance so that they don't gobble up most of your water.

Whenever you are buying a home in an unfamiliar location it's best to deal with a local realtor. Do the same thing when buying a home in a desert.

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