10 Tips To Buying Your Dream Home
Everyone wants to live in the home of their dreams but most of us are not sure how to actually make that happen.
Most of the hard work of house hunting is the learning curve. There are so many things to take into consideration that it can become difficult to remember them all. That is why we put together this list of the top 10 things you should be thinking about when purchasing a new home regardless of whether it is a house or a condo.
1) Pick the right realtor- Look for a realtor that has experience in your area and the area in which you want to live as well as a full time realtor. While hobbyists might have more time to spend on you in particular, chances are they are not as familiar with the market as someone who does this job all day long, every single day.
2) Know what you want going in- If you start house hunting without a clear picture of what you are looking for, it is going to take you a lot longer to sift through all the listings. It is a far wiser idea to know what features you want in a home as well as the area in which you want to live before you start looking.
3) Spend time looking up listings- It is vital that you do your homework and that means constantly combing through real estate listings both online and in local newspapers. Many areas have real estate magazines and newspapers that will help make this job easier.
4) Better to be the cheapest house in a good neighborhood than the best house in a crappy one- Remember this because it is one of the most important lessons you will learn. With a little reno work you could see a massive return on investment.
5) Houses split into apartments are no biggie- These homes can easily be converted back into single family homes for a lot less than you might imagine.
6) Be willing to sacrifice- Very few “dream homes” are truly perfect. Whether you have to sacrifice a bit on location or amenities, you will probably have to adjust to a little give and take.
7) Location is more important than features- You can renovate a home to be just how you like it but the location is something you can’t change.
8) Know the value of cosmetic upgrades- Not all upgrades are worth paying a higher price tag and many sellers refuse to acknowledge this fact so know what’s worth what going in.
9) Don’t forget about parking- If you have a vehicle, are planning to own one or even if you just like to have guests over, parking is going to be important so take that into consideration when buying your dream house.
10) Don’t get discouraged when a deal falls through- You might think you found your dream home only to lose out on the deal but don’t worry there are lots of houses out there and many of them will be perfect for you.
Keep these tips in mind when you go house hunting and you will find the entire process will go much smoother