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Tips to Finding Your Perfect Home

Tips to Finding Your Perfect Home

So you decided you want to move, but you're overwhelmed with the hundreds of options of homes out there. What can you do to ensure you’re making the right decision and finding the perfect home? Well to start, you can follow these tips!

 

Plan Out What Your “Perfect Home” Looks Like

The first step to searching for a home is dedicating the time to finding out what your perfect home looks like. Planning it out will help your home buying process go more smoothly. Start with what type of home you are looking for. Do you want a condo, townhouse, single-level home or multi-level home? Is there a specific style of home you like?  Think about if you want a garage or if you want a yard? From there, think about location and price point. Write down on a piece of paper all of the things you must have in your new home, things that would be nice to have and things that aren’t a top priority. 

 

Stay on Budget

Make sure to get pre-approved for a loan before going out to look at homes. Your agent should have suggestions on reputable financial institutions to get pre-approval. This step will make the buying process much easier and you will know which houses meet your price point. It is important that you make a budget and stick with it! 

 

If you don’t love any of the homes your agent is showing you based on your price point, you may have to go back and reevaluate your list of wants, needs and must haves. Keep in mind if you venture off and look at homes above your price point, there is a chance you will fall in love with one of them and have to deal with some disappointment later. Looking at homes outside of your budget could be detrimental to your search due to constant comparison. All of this can be easily avoided if you set a specific budget and communicate it with your agent. 

 

Do your Research

Once you find a home that meets your general criteria, it is important to research the background of the home, neighborhood and community. Most of this information you can get from a simple Google search. Sometimes the research requires you to take a walk around the neighborhood and speak to members of the community. If you have genuine concerns, it is important to ask those questions before you put in an offer on the home. You can also research property values in the area to get a better idea of property tax, financial planning and selling or downsizing. 

 

Don’t Set Expectations too High

When looking for your “perfect home” keep in mind that no home is absolutely perfect right away. Changes and renovations can always be made if needed. So look at your list of criteria and see what’s worth reassessing. When you set lower expectations for yourself it takes away from the pressure of finding perfection. Don’t settle, but be willing to compromise. Trust your instincts and work with your agent and you will be sure to find your perfect home. 

 

Buying a home can be a stressful and exciting process at the same time that’s why our agents will help you every step of the way. You know what you want, but now it’s time to go out there and find it! Be sure to follow these tips to ensure you are finding your perfect home.