5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search

5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search

This post is available in 64 languages. Just select your preference in the "Language" side-panel
5 Tips for Starting Your Home Search | MyKCM

In today’s market, low inventory dominates the conversation in many areas of the country. It can often be frustrating to be a first-time home buyer if you aren’t prepared. Here are five tips from realtor.com’s article, “How to Find Your Dream Home—Without Losing Your Mind.”
1. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage Before You Start Your Search
One way to show you’re serious about buying your dream home is to get pre-qualified or pre-approved for a mortgage. Even if you’re in a market that is not as competitive, understanding your budget will give you the confidence of knowing whether your dream home is within your reach. This will help you avoid the disappointment of falling in love with a home well outside your price range.
2. Know the Difference Between Your ‘Must-Haves’ and ‘Would-Like-To-Haves’
Do you really need that farmhouse sink in the kitchen to be happy with your home choice? Would a two-car garage be a convenience or a necessity? Before you start your search, list all the features of a home you would like. Qualify them as ‘must-haves’, ‘should-haves’, or ‘absolute-wish list’ items. This will help you stay focused on what’s most important.
3. Research and Choose a Neighborhood Where You Want to Live
Every neighborhood has unique charm. Before you commit to a home based solely on the house itself, take a test-drive of the area. Make sure it meets your needs for “amenities, commute, school district, etc. and then spend a weekend exploring before you commit.”
4. Pick a House Style You Love and Stick to It
Evaluate your family’s needs and settle on a style of home that will best serve those needs. Just because you’ve narrowed your search to a zip code doesn’t mean you need to tour every listing in that vicinity. An example from the article says, “if you have several younger kids and don’t want your bedroom on a different level, steer clear of Cape Cod–style homes, which typically feature two or more bedrooms on the upper level and the master on the main.”
5. Document Your Home Visits
Once you start touring homes, the features of each individual home will start to blur together. The article suggests keeping your camera handy and making notes on the listing sheet to document what you love and don’t love about each property you visit.

Bottom Line

In a high-paced, competitive environment, any advantage you can give yourself will help you on your path to buying your dream home.
Guillermo "Bill" Sanjurjo Realtor®
12955 SW 42 St Suite 2, Miami, FL 33175
Cell: 786-232-1400

Comments

Post a Comment

Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.

Popular posts from this blog

Challenges for Miami Homebuyers

Image
Navigating the New Real Estate Landscape:  Challenges for Miami Homebuyers Miami Homebuyers Facing Obstacles The real estate market in Miami has become increasingly challenging for homebuyers. Over the past few years, housing prices have skyrocketed, while mortgage interest rates have risen to unexpected levels. Unfortunately, wages haven’t kept pace with inflation, making it more difficult for many to afford their dream home. As if these challenges weren’t enough, new rules from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) are set to change how commissions are handled in real estate transactions, adding another layer of complexity for buyers. The Impact of the NAR Settlement Rules Beginning this Saturday, real estate agents listing homes on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), a widely used database for agents, will no longer be allowed to advertise any compensation to buyer's agents. Previously, it was common for sellers to pay commissions to real estate agents on both sides of the ...
Read more

Know your rights under mortgage payment forberance

Image
Photo by  Andrea Piacquadio  from  Pexels To combat ongoing misinformation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) reiterated that borrowers in forbearance with a  Fannie Mae or Freddie  Mac-backed mortgage are not required to repay the missed payments in one lump sum. According to the McDash Flash Forbearance Tracker from  Black Knight , as of April 23, 2020, more than 3.4 million homeowners, or 6.4% of all mortgages, have entered into COVID-19 mortgage forbearance plans. “During this national health emergency, no one should be worried about losing their home," said Director Mark Calabria. “No lump sum is required at the end of a borrower's forbearance plan for Enterprise-backed mortgages. To help homeowners navigate the forbearance process, FHFA partnered with CFPB on the Borrower Protection Program to provide homeowners accurate information about forbearance and address concerns noted in some consumer complaints. While today's statement only ...
Read more