So you’ve decided to buy a house, Now What?
Where do I start?
Here are three steps you should take before jumping into searching zillow or perusing open houses:
- Find a Real Estate Agent
I suggest this step first because a realtor should act as your guide through this process. More than just a paper pusher, a realtor can layout a game plan from start to finish to get you into your dream home. Choosing a realtor who meshes with your personality and goals will make the process so much smoother.
- Get Prequalified
This step is vital to complete before searching for homes. A true prequalification is proof to any potential seller that you have been vetted and have the income/assets to support a purchase up to a certain price. This step will get you your budget, giving you an idea of what your monthly expense will look like and tell you where your price sweet spot is. Expect to provide documentation and have your credit pulled in order to fully complete this step. If your timeline is more than 6 months out, then you may just complete some initial steps with a discussion of goals. The lender will be able to give you a game plan for your purchase in the future, or steps to complete in order to qualify.
- Identify Areas of Interest
There are some many factors that play into the perfect home location for you. Any home your purchase is an investment, so location plays a huge role in the health of that investment. Additionally, home location will have an effect on your quality of life and lifestyle! Things to explore when looking at neighborhoods are architectural style, amenities, proximity to freeways/airports, public transportation, crime statistics, etc. Your realtor can help point you to resources to investigate further. An agent with expertise in areas of interest will have additional insight to help answer your questions.
Buying a new home is such an exciting opportunity, but can be stressful, especially in a hot sellers market. I like to get my clients as prepared as possible before entering the market, so they make informed decisions they can be confident in for your years to come.