Are you about to start searching for your brand new home? We first want to say congrats! Not only is that a huge accomplishment, but it is a great investment for your future. One of the things that will make it your perfect home as well as not making you want to move right away is finding all of the things within a home. Although it may not be easy and you may not find it right away, there are some great tips we have so that you find as close to perfect as you are searching for. Keep reading as the experts at Validum Institute explain how to find your perfect home.
Find your price range
The first thing that you need to do is to find your exact price range. If you already own a home and pay a mortgage, look at what you are paying and if you would be qualified and feel comfortable paying any more. Look at what you are looking for and if you believe that will cost you more. If this is your first time, make sure that you go and find out how much of a mortgage you qualify for. This is important because you don’t want to start the home searching process and realize that you can’t afford what you have fallen in love with. That is why it’s so important that one of the very first things that you do is qualify for a mortgage to ensure you know how much you can afford.
What area of town do you like?
Once you know, it’s time to know what area of town you would like to live in. Think about factors like schools if you have children. Think about if there is an area you want to be within walking distance or a short drive to. Think about if you want neighbors to be close or as far away as possible. These kinds of things will start to help you and your realtor figure out what area of town you may want to live in if you don’t already have a neighborhood in mind.
How many bedrooms do you need?
The next question that you need to ask yourself is how many bedrooms you feel comfortable with. This means that you can factor in your family, you can factor in if you need an additional room for work or for a home gym. You also can factor in a guest bedroom. This will all help you to know how many bedrooms you desire.
Do you want a yard?
A yard will typically either mean you are a bit more outside town or it will be a bit more expensive. With that said, if a yard is high on your list, make sure that you know this going in and can communicate that to your realtor.
Keep HOA in mind
Many homes these days have an HOA. HOA stands for homeowner’s insurance. It is the things that you may automatically pay for when you have a home. Some of these could include the sidewalk, they can have a community pool, they could have a guesthouse with food weekly, it could be the upkeep of the lawns. There are so many things that could go into an HOA. If you are already at the very top of your mortgage and know you don’t have a lot of extra money after that is paid, you want to keep HOA in mind so that it is smaller. Regardless, you always want to add in HOA costs to your monthly budget.
How much storage and room do you need?
Do you have a lot of stuff? Do you need an area to put in? Of course, you can always get a storage room. Some people just want a larger home that has more areas to store things or even an area outside they can store items. If this sounds like you, make sure that you add it to your list.
How much are the homes around you going for?
You can start looking around the neighborhood you now are considering and see how much the houses around are going for. If they are right in your price range, you simply will be waiting for one of them to come on the market.
Are there any specifics you are looking for in a home?
Are there any other specifics that you have not talked about that you would like to see in a home? If so, tell your realtor. For example, people may want a two-story home, or perhaps they only want one floor so as they age that gets easier for them. Perhaps they want a home that is as close to downtown as possible. Perhaps they want a home in a cul-de-sac so that it is safer for their children to go running around. These are all things that you want to note as quickly as possible. Some people won’t know until they start the home searching process. When you do realize there is something on your list, make sure that you make a note right away.
As you can see, there are so many small things that are actually large things that you want to be looking for in a home. A home is something that you home to have for many years. It is a place where you or you and your family go at the end of every day that feels safe. It is a place where your money goes so that it ends up contributing to a retirement one day. A home is special.
We hope that this helps and it helps you on your way to finding a great home for you and fits all of your requirements so that you are happy for many years to come.