It’s normal to feel overwhelmed when you start looking for a home. We’re going to give you a few easy steps. Here’s our best advice.
Give yourself the freedom to dream!
Before getting bogged down in what is practical, think about the home you really want.
Is it the private back yard with family dinners or the space in the garage for projects? Is it the charming historic bathroom, a nice view, or your own master bath?
You don’t need to know everything to start.
It’s OK to be “just looking”
Many buyers don’t know where to start. One of the best things to do is to go and view a few homes. If you are ready, schedule a day to look at homes. This can give you a sense of context and price. Many questions are answered with this simple act.
While you’re in the “just looking” stage, you can discover what you need and want in a home by comparing the homes you like. Download this simple organizer to view the pros and cons of each home in one place.
Start your online research
It’s also important to look at homes online, but many buyers feel overwhelmed by the number of homes available. To make things easier for you, we created our own list of preferred historic homes.
You will not see our list of preferred historic homes on any other website. Local homes which meet our criteria are hand-picked daily. Skip the work of digging through other sites. Click here to view our preferred historic homes.
If you need help getting started, please reach out.
How much can you afford?
You can search for a home with confidence once you’ve estimated how much money you will need up front to buy a home. Download this simple worksheet to understand your three biggest expenses.
A pre-approval is a quick and easy way to know how much you can borrow. This makes it easy to estimate your monthly payments. It takes about 40 minutes to fill out the application and gather documents, and a day or two for the lender to respond.
Once you know what you can afford, you can narrow your search. Getting pre-approved doesn’t have to be your very first step, but waiting too long is one of the biggest mistakes most buyers make.
If you’re ready to pre-approve, click here.
Where are you in life?
You’ll need a different kind of home at different stages in your life. Are you planning to have children? If you already have children, do you plan on having more? Are you close to retiring?
Do you want to stay in your new home for decades? Are you looking to buy, add some “sweat equity,” and then trade up?
The answers to these questions can point you in the right direction.
Start a list of what you want
Is it important to have a big yard? Do you want a fireplace? A garage? A view?
You can’t hit a target unless you have a target. Finding the right home becomes a lot easier once you are clear about what you need and want. The questions on this worksheet will help you identify the home you’re searching for.
Fill out the Targeting Worksheet to find your ideal home.
Use the Buyer Toolbox to do things in the right order
There are a lot of steps to follow, and many home buyers don’t know where to start. We created the Buyer Toolbox to take uncertainty out of buying your home. You won’t need to guess what to do next. The toolbox links each step to the tools you need in the right order. Verify your email to gain access.
Action Steps:
Verify your email to Gain access to the Buyer Toolbox.
Download the How to Find the Right Home Worksheet.
Get Pre-approved here.
I am ready to Schedule a day to go look at homes.
