Four Mistakes To Avoid When House Hunting
Posted on: 4 December 2015
If you are on the market for a new home, this can be an exciting and stressful time. If you can use your time wisely and search more efficiently, you can make this process more streamlined. Here are for mistakes you should try to avoid when house hunting.
1. Not Having an Open House Game Plan
The best way to see the most homes on the market is to go to open houses on the weekends. It is worth it to do property listings research ahead of time and map out your route. If you can stick to one area or town each trip, you can save your energy for looking at as many homes as you can and not on driving and directions.
2. Falling in Love With Properties too Fast
When visiting open houses, these are usually staged in a way to help potential home buyers imagine themselves living in the space. It can be easy to immediately fall in love with a space and imagine dinner parties, raising kids, and backyard barbecues. While a little fantasy is okay, don't get your heart set on any specific property until offers are made and accepted. Some homebuyers have to make offers on multiple homes until the right fit comes along.
3. Not Having a Clear Financial Picture
There is no good reason to start house hunting if you don't know what you can afford. You will most likely steer towards homes outside of your price range and be disappointed once you realize what you can in fact afford. If you know you are on a fixer-upper budget, then look at fixer uppers and don't torture yourself with larger finished homes you cannot afford. This will help your realtor know what gems to look for within your budget as well.
4. Not Getting on the Same Page as Your Spouse
If you are house hunting with your spouse, communication will be key. Before meeting with a realtor or beginning your search, sit down and make a list of things that would make or break a home for you. The two of you can compare lists and then work together to make sure you know what you are looking for as a team. Going into this blindly will lead to disagreements and will waste time.
Being in a position to finally purchase your own home is a great feeling, but this can be a lot of work. If you can prepare yourself when it comes to house hunting you will have better luck with your search overall. Having a clear head and a game plan will help keep your search on track and help you find the perfect home within your budget. For assistance, contact a professional like Gilbert Realty.
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