Making a Move: 5 Key Tips for Finding a Home
House-hunting is no easy task. Whether you’ve just started the house-hunting process or you’re finding yourself at a dead-end after weeks or months of searching, you know just how stressful finding a home can be.
Although there’s so much to consider when searching for a place, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You just have to keep a few key things in mind!
If you’ve got the house-hunting blues and are looking for some tips that will help you find the perfect home, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re sharing the top things to remember when finding a home!
Top 5 key tips that you should consider
If you are looking for a home sweet home but have no idea where to start, then you are not alone. It is normal to feel overwhelmed during house hunting. But I can make it easier for you with just a few tips.
Here are the top 5 tips that you should consider to have an amazing home-hunting experience.
1. Assess Your Needs
How much square footage does your family need? How many rooms do you want? Do you have any children or pets that will be moving with you?
Always assess your family’s needs before selecting a house or apartment. Look for properties that exactly match your needs; don’t try to skimp out to save a little money. Remember: this is your home and should work for your specific needs.
I would say you can start making a list of all the essential features. Especially the ones that you desire to have in your dream house. You can consider the factors such as:
- Location
- Size
- Number of bedrooms
- Amenities
- Overall budget
- Other preferences
Making a list can help you clarify all your requirements, ultimately saving you time and effort.
2. Use Online House Hunting Tools
The internet may play a huge role in your home search. You can find a suitable home that suits your taste.
There are dozens of great online house-hunting websites. Most function as real estate search engines, allowing you to filter your searches to produce results catering to your specific needs.
Click on the link to learn more about real estate tools and to get the real story about Zillow.
I feel like the house-hunting applications make the home-buying process much easier. It includes reviewing the listings that you have made, creating your overall monthly budget, calculating your mortgages, and also getting pre-approval.
Online house-hunting applications and websites allow you to filter your search. As a result, you can easily choose the right home in a much easier way.
But in some cases, the photos can be too good to be true. You may have found the right home for yourself. Once you feel like you’ve found your “the one,” consider visiting the property.
You can schedule an in-person meeting with the buyer. On top of that, you can also get a good idea about the neighborhood.
3. Check Out Pre-Market Home Listings
Having trouble getting in on a house before it sells? Check out pre-market home listings!
Pre-market homes are houses that haven’t been officially put up for sale on a multiple listing service yet. This creates less buyer competition and can even save you money if you decide you want a pre-market home.
4. Take a Drive or walk
Take a drive or a walk around the area where you are planning to move. This will help you to spot any houses that are for sale or listed for an open house. Try to look for “for sale” signs on people’s lawns. Who knows? Maybe you will be able to spot a home that you haven’t seen online.
Taking a stroll during the day will definitely help you observe the area. But I would suggest you take a walk or drive at night as well. In this way, you will be able to understand the overall dynamic of the place.
But! If you see an area with too many “for sale” signs, just avoid it. An unusual number of “for sale” signs can be a major red flag. Maybe there are some unknown reasons why people are so desperate to move out.
5. Visit Open Houses
Whether you are new to real estate or maybe you know the market already, open houses can be an excellent option for your house hunting. It doesn’t really matter how many houses you have listed or viewed online. Visiting a home in person is just something different.
When my friend shifted from a suburban area to the main city, she spent a lot of time searching for a home online. She even liked a few and finally bought one. But when she moved in, she saw almost nothing like the pictures she had seen online.
It was so chaotic everywhere. She could hear the traffic and car hirn almost all the time. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if she had visited the house in person. Not every time can you find a good home from an online listing.
But that doesn’t mean that you will never find one.
This is why homeowners often prioritize buying open houses. You visit the place, meet the neighbor, and see the availability of transportation and other amenities. On top of that, you can also check the house’s condition, which isn’t present in the listed photos.
Attending a house in person allows you to experience all of these. Furthermore, you can meet other homebuyers there and ask questions to learn about their experience. This can add more insights to your overall home-buying journey.
Finding a Home Is Simple With These Tips
Don’t give in to the feelings of complete overwhelm when you’re searching for a new home. Instead, remember these key tips that make finding a home simple and keep a level head; you’ve got this!
If these tips were helpful to you, be sure to check out the rest of our posts about all things real estate and home.
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